Film Review – Lone Survivor – Directed by Peter Berg

Release Date – February 20th 2014

 

Actor turned director Peter Berg has dished out war movies before – 2012’s Battleship and 2007’s The Kingdom.

 

He handles the action and brutality of war competently in his efforts, but in this big screen adaptation of a Navy Seals account of a rescue operation from a botched mission, there’s little else on screen beyond the bullets, bravery and a band of brothers.

 

That said – this is definitely no Band of Brothers – the incredible HBO TV series about WW2 soldiers from 2001 that starred, amongst others, one time New Kid on the Block Donnie Wahlberg.

 

Donnie’s more famous movie star brother Mark steps into the shoes of sniper Marcus Luttrell – he of the title – Lone Survivor, but doesn’t get much to work with.

 

A handful of Navy Seals sent on a mission to confirm the identity of a Taliban leadership group in the hills of Afghanistan find themselves both outnumbered and outgunned.

 

They all perish, bar one, and Eric Bana – the commanding officer back at base pulls out all stops to bring the lone survivor home.

 

As far as war movies go it’s watchable, and for someone like me who is a fan of films about conflict like Black Hawk Down, Zero Dark Thirty, The Hurt Locker and documentaries Restrepo and Armadillo it’s somewhat enjoyable.

 

But it doesn’t delve much deeper than being a recruiting video for the US military. I’m extremely grateful for the role Australia’s Defense Forces play in keeping my country safe, I’m just not a fan of war. And this film seems to want to justify a conflict that can have no winners. One for the boys, and fans of Call of Duty. 3 & 1/2 stars.