Can't say the man doesn't have an ego putting his name above the title. Obviously it's a Guy Ritchie film. He co-wrote it, produced it and directed it. However, in this case I'll forgive the egotism as it's his best film to date.
Forgoing his usual bombastic directing style, Mr. Ritchie shows great restraint to tell this harrowing tale of survival and the bond that grows between an American soldier and a native interpreter during the Afghanistan war.
Jake Gyllenhaal, intense as ever, plays Sgt. John Kinley, who is seriously injured during a battle with the Taliban. Miles from his base and in Taliban controlled territory, his interpreter, Ahmed (played by Dar Salim) honors his promise to try to get Kinley back to his base. And that's not even the whole story.
The film co-stars Antony Starr, Jonny Lee Miller and Emily Beecham.
The battle scenes are intense and Christopher Benstead's score is a surprising and emotional choice during those moments. Mr. Ritchie handles the dramatic moments beautifully, ratcheting up the tension without overdoing it. What transpires later in the film is remarkable, in both it's suspense and heart.
The coda at the end is heartbreaking. It will also leave you angered, which was obviously Mr. Ritchie's intent.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment