Cast:

Sylvester Stallone                      John Rambo

Paz Vega                                   Carmen

Sergio Peris-Mencheta              Hugo Martinez

Oscar Jaenada                           Victor Martinez

Yvette Monreal                         Gabrielle

So Saturday night arrived, and instead of reaching into my stack of unwatched blu-ray movies, we decided to find something on one of the streaming services that we subscribe to. We started with Amazon Prime (their search engines are just as crappy as Netflix by the way), and I started scanning through what was new on Prime. Well lo and behold, I came across Rambo: Last Blood. I remember last year when it had a short stint in the theatres, and was surprised that it was already on the streaming services. Hell, I had not even seen it for sale on Amazon yet, so I was pleasantly surprised. Now, I loved First Blood, it was a fantastic film that set the tone for action movies of the era and really set Stallone’s career on the action trajectory after the fan base he created in the Rocky series. Not only was it a great movie, it was also a great book by David Morrell. 

The original that started it all, had John Rambo (Stallone) a highly decorated Special Forces Vietnam Veteran come to small town USA to visit one of his Army buddies. Ushered out of town by the local Sherriff Teasel (Brian Dennehy) who took umbrage to Rambo (Stallone), with his long hair etc. This action set the scene for all of Rambo’s rage and frustration to be unleashed on the Sherriff and the unsuspecting town. Needless to say, Rambo was victorious over the Sherriff, he escaped and started a series of films in the Rambo universe (First Blood 2, Rambo 3, Rambo and now finally Rambo: Last Blood). 

However, this review is not about previous Rambo movies, it is to discuss the latest one in the Stallone Franchise. Rambo: Last Blood has to be one of the worst pieces of fecal matter that Stallone has ever produced, and this is being generous. I watched the whole film, desperately looking for something to redeem it and make me like it. Unfortunately, I could not find any redeeming feature in this film, except maybe the gratuitous violence that was present in the action sequences. 

Before I really start bashing this film, a small overview of the plot. It is 11 years after his last film and he is now living in Arizona on the family homestead with an elderly lady and her grand-daughter. The grand-daughter Gabrielle (Monreal) calls him her uncle and looks up to Rambo as a surrogate father. However, in other films I do not ever recall a scene where he mentions that he has a sister. But I watched them so long ago that I may have missed it. On the ranch, Rambo has meticulously recreated a series of tunnels under the property. These tunnels are reminiscent of the tunnels the North Vietnamese army had constructed during the Vietnam war. Contained within the tunnels as a piece of dramatic foreshadowing, is enough weapons to arm a small south American nation. To add to the tension on the homestead, Gabrielle (Monreal) is searching for her father who left when she was young. Unexpectedly, Gabrielle (Monreal) is contacted by a departed friend who is back in Mexico and has discovered where her father is and calls Gabrielle to come and see. 

Naturally Gabrielle (Monreal) makes this fateful trip, against the wishes of her grandmother and Rambo. Rambo even gives some long winded speech on how she should drop the search..yadda yadda. Yet, like all teens she does not listen and heads south. Once in Mexico, she meets up with her friend who escorts her to her father’s abode, where she discovers how much of an asshole he truly is. They subsequently go to a bar to drown their sorrows and Gabrielle (Monreal) is given a roofie and becomes part of a stable of teenage prostitutes. 

Now Rambo finds out and goes to search for her (naturally), finds her friend, pushes her to show him where she was abducted. Once there he “persuades” the scumbag who drugged his niece to tell him where she was taken. With this information in hand he arrives at the gang HQ, does a poor recon of the area and subsequently gets his ass kicked 15 ways to Sunday by the gang and its leaders. These leaders, two brothers, Victor and Hugo Martinez run this gang of sex traffickers, druggies, arms merchants and whatever else that is bad in the world. Beaten to a pulp and looking like Rocky did when he lost, Rambo (Stallone) is graciously let go by one of the brothers (Hugo) after the other (Victor) leaves his mark on his face with a bowie knife. 

Enter Carmen (Vega) a freelance journalist who is also watching the Martinez brothers (as we later learn her sister was taken and killed by them). She saves Rambo, patches him up and gives him some information on them. After a number of days, he has healed a little and goes to save his niece. (Now, at this point the movie had already exceeded my tolerance for bad, yet I kept watching.) Rambo enters the brothel where his niece was being drugged/raped, kills all kinds of guys, with a hammer no less, grabs his niece and escapes. They have some more heartwarming dialogues in the truck on the way back home, but unfortunately it was too late. Gabrielle (Monreal) succumbed to her injuries and passes away. Rambo (Stallone) takes the body home and buries her in the family graveyard, prepares his home for battle, and then returns to Mexico. With the help of Carmen, he finds Victor’s home, kills countless bad guys, decapitates Victor (Jaenada) and pretty much has demonstrated that he is still a one-man army (Even if he is 69 years old), and that he is still a force of nature to be reckoned with. 

Accepting the challenge and seeking revenge, Hugo (Peris-Mencheta) leads his gang into the US via a tunnel system that would make El Chapo envious. What is now amazing, is that most of the gang is now equipped with modern military equipment and weapons. Additionally, they are conversant with military tactics and hand signals…wow… I did not know that gang’s ran a basic training camp?  But I have digressed yet again, Hugo (Peris-Mencheta) and his gang of ne’er do-wells have a convoy of expensive SUVs and approach Rambo’s Ranch. Now remember, I did say he had enough weapons for a small army, but that’s not all! Prior to their arrival, Rambo (Stallone) has secreted weapon caches all through the ranch and tunnel complex. Installed booby-traps that were reminiscent of “Home Alone” and prepared his place for the final attack. The vehicles enter the land, some get blown up out of hand and now it looks like more bad guys than you could expect have now appeared for battle. What is the most comical is that Hugo (Peris-Menchata) decked out in black para-military equipment, sporting a man-bun (or as I call them, Millennial Mullets) leads his now crack team into battle with series of hand signals and tactical élan. 

Still not far-fetched enough for you? Rambo (Stallone) now eliminates all of Hugo’s entourage (for some reason I found more dead guys here then were actually in the trucks) and continues to taunt Hugo and swears he will rip out his heart! After about 15 minutes of fighting, with only Hugo now remaining, Rambo wounded in 2 places (shoulder and side), he corners Hugo in the barn and manages to expertly fire several arrows into him (remember he has a bullet in his shoulder and side, but can still aim and have a steady hand) thus pinning him against the wall. Think that is it? Nay Nay my friend, now Rambo is in a cheezy kung-fu film, approaches the bad guy, says some lofty crap and then stabs him in the chest, rips out Hugo’s heart and puts it still beating in his face. Wow, is that even possible? But it is ok, he is Rambo, all the bad guys are now killed, Rambo goes to his porch, sits in the rocking chair for some needed rest (he is 69 after all), reminisces about his life and then the screen pulls back…great spot to end the film (finally), but no…it is still not over. Rambo is now Shane (if you have ever watched the classic western), and he has mounted his trusty mustang and gallops off into the sunset. My god the film is now over and the punishment can cease. I still can’t believe I sat through the whole thing!             

If you have read this far, you can easily determine that I did not like this film. I am a fan of Stallone movies, I like them for what they are, and will even let some far fetched, outrageous actions go in his films. But this was the worst by far of all of his films. (Well except, Stop! Or my mother will shoot! Which was even worse). Throughout his career, Stallone has created several iconic characters (Rocky and Rambo specifically) introduced the audience to other memorable action films and ensembles (The Expendables trilogy, Tango and Cash, Demolition Man, Escape). Each series or film was memorable in their own right and provided a great deal of entertainment. Rambo: Last Blood was like a traffic accident, I had to watch to the end to see what other crap he could pull out of his proverbial butt to make this film move along. Even the fact that the extended length was 89 min in total, it was actually 88 minutes too long for my taste. I am aware that some fans of the genre and Stallone will defend this film, and that is their right. However, in this house, it was a deemed a horrible experience under the guise of trying to entertain us. 

Stallone has to accept his age and pick movies accordingly (i.e. like Clint Eastwood). He did this with Creed where he was the mentor to Apollo’s son. What could have and should have happened in this film is this: Rambo teaches his niece the skills that she would need to survive in combat, she finds out from her friend that her father is alive. She then goes to Mexico, finds her friend and meets her father (we can leave him to be an asshole here). They go to the bar to drown their sorrows, the friend is taken and put into prostitution. She goes back home, tells Rambo, he helps outfit her, they rescue the friend, and the niece does most of the fighting. On the way home, the friend can die from the injuries, bury her in the family plot and then prepare the ranch for battle. Once prepared with all the booby traps that McCauley Caulkin would want in home alone, they return to Mexico to seek revenge. She kicks proverbial ass, kills one brother and issues a challenge to the other. Rambo and niece return home and wait. When Hugo shows up with his entourage, the niece can run around like Lara Croft and wipe out most of them while Rambo is in the with a sniper rifle and detonators to fire off the explosions when needed. Rambo gives her the tactical support for Gabrielle to wipe out Hugo and his band, save the day and then both ride out into the sunset. They could even have something after the credits where his niece is now in the military and becomes the first female Special Forces operator or something, and he claps from the stands on her graduation parade. This idea/version might have been more entertaining than the fecal matter that was in this film. Oh well, I suppose he got his paycheck and moved on to the next project…hmm, maybe Rocky: The Musical? Who knows?

Anyways, our rating for Rambo: Last Blood: 2/10 (it only got the 2 stars for the action sequences, otherwise it would have been 1 star).

If you want to watch some good moviesstarring the main stars:

Sylvester Stallone                      Rocky, Rocky IV, First Blood, Rambo, The Expendables, Tango and Cash, Victory, Copland, Escape, Demolition Man

Paz Vega                                   Spanglish

Till next time!

Cast:

Ed Helms                      Hogan “Hoagie” Malloy

Jon Hamm                    Bob Callahan

Annabelle Wallis           Rebecca Crosby

Jake Johnson                Randy “Chilli” Cilliano

Isla Fisher                     Anna Malloy

Hannibal Buress                        Kevin Sable

Jeremy Renner              Jerry Pierce

Leslie Bibb                    Susan Rollins

Rashida Jones               Cheryl Deakins

As mentioned previously in reviews, Friday and Saturday are the nights that we watch movies instead of the various series and programs that proliferate cable and streaming services. With COVID news dominating the television lately, we wanted to watch something that was silly and entertaining. A movie that would be fun enough to make us laugh and not think about the plot, characters, or “how did they do that”, just a film that we could laugh and enjoy. I looked through the stack of unwatched films, and saw TAG! I figured that this movie would fit the bill.

What is TAG about? This comedy is loosely based on a true story of a bunch of men who had been playing the same game of TAG for 30 years. You would think that such a poor idea would not be well suited for a film, but alas, you would be wrong. This film centres on a group of middle age “adolescent” men who have been playing the same game of TAG for decades. For one month every year, the last person who was “IT” must search out his friends to TAG them. Nothing is sacred, and no plan is too lame for these men as they pursue each other. However, they have one mutual goal, that is to Tag Jerry Peirce (Renner). Jerry’s (Renner) claim to fame is that he has never been tagged in the history of their game. Jerry (Renner) is elusive, faster, agile, and more strategic than any of the other players, and has also taken great pride in the fact that he has never been IT! 

To give the outline of the film, as well as an outline can be given in a film like this; Hoagie (Helms), opens the film as he plans a surprise Tag on his friend Bob Callahan (Hamm) at his company. Callahan (Hamm) is the CEO of his own company and is in the process of getting interviewed for a major magazine by Rebecca Crosby (Wallis), when a janitor enters the conference room and the mayhem begins. The janitor is Hoagie (Helms) and the game of Tag starts again for another season. In short order they gather the rest of the crew from various cities and situations. The remainder are Chilli (Johnson) and Sable (Buress). The four men with the reporter (Wallis) and Hoagie’s wife, Anna (Fisher) in tow, head to their home town. Once home, they meet in Hoagie’s (Helms) basement to plan out their strategy. Of all the players, Hoagie (Helms) and his wife Anna (Fisher) are the most intense in the pursuit of Jerry (Renner), while the remainder of the crew are just in it for the fun, or the story, in the case of the reporter, Rebecca (Wallis). 

Shortly after arriving to their home town, the crew discover that Jerry is soon to be married. The marriage preparation and ceremony is where they feel that they would be best placed to finally tag Jerry (Renner). Several attempts to tag Jerry (Renner) soon follow, and it is discovered that Susan (Bibb), Jerry’s bride to be is pregnant. The crew are invited to the wedding, however, there are conditions that the game is not to interfere with the wedding in any way shape or form. Through these misadventures in tagging we meet several other characters, the loser bartender who always wanted to be part of the game (Lou Seibert played by Steve Berg) and a lost love of Bob (Hamm) and Chilli (Johnson) by the name of Cheryl Deakins (Rashida Jones). Throughout the film, each attempt to Tag Jerry (Renner) becomes more outlandish than the previous. Jerry (Renner) escapes each attempt with style and panache, further antagonizing his friends. It is not till the end of the film, where a secret is revealed by Hoagie (Helms) that he finally allows himself to be tagged.

TAG’s cast is littered with celebrities of various calibers. However, this ensemble works! Let’s start with Hoagie (Helms). He is a comedic actor with a prolific resume. Helms has either supported or led in many successful films or television shows. For example, his performances in The Office, We’re the Millers, and the Hangover Trilogy are hilarious. In this film, he also brings his comic intensity to the forefront. He is the ringleader of this game, his antic made me laugh out loud at times…everything from his costumes to his facial expressions added to the jocularity of the film. 

Jon Hamm as Bob Callahan: For me, Jon Hamm will always be known as Don Draper from Mad Men. He was the booze swilling, girl chasing, misogynist with a brilliant mind for advertising. However, of late, he has been delving more and more into comedic roles. In TAG, he plays more of a straight man with some well timed dead-pan wit. Even his physical humour has stepped up, for example, in the boardroom where Hoagie believes that he is trapped. Callahan (Hamm) picks up a chair and throws at a window so that he can make his escape, yet, the chair bounces back and knocks him on his head. Yes, another laugh out loud moment for something slapstick. Not only is he integral to the game, plot and the soon to be published story by the intrepid reporter Rebecca Crosby (Wallis), his whole character adds to the film. His portrayal of Callahan was excellent, and I look forward to seeing him in more comedic roles instead of just commercials for “skip the dishes” and smaller roles in other comedies (i.e. Bridesmaids). 

Annabelle Wallis as Rebecca Crosby: As mentioned previously, Wallis is the reporter who is doing a background on Callahan (Hamm) for her magazine. Once introduced to TAG as a witness in the aforementioned boardroom scene, she decides to “tag” along if you will to see the outcome. Using her shrewd investigative skills (and because it is in the script) she follows Callahan et al along for the ride and subsequently writes a story on the whole game. At first Wallis seemed to be new to my wife and I as an actress, however, her face was familiar. Little did we know that she had been in a number of films and tv shows that we had previously watched and enjoyed. For us, her most memorable role was that of Jane Seymour in “The Tudors”. However, we had also seen her in various other films, King Arthur, The Mummy and the show Strike Back. 

Jake Johnson as Randy “Chilli” Cilliano: Chilli is the group’s drug addled friend. Life is easy, just go with it, as long as the pipe and drugs are nearby to give a good buzz. Chilli can represent someone in any group of friends from childhood and is very relatable character. Johnson’s version of Chilli is entertaining and light and leads to some funny scenes amongst the group. Even though Johnson has been around for awhile and has an impressive resume, we have only really taken notice of him lately in “Stumptown”. He is a solid actor and routinely gives credible performances. Chilli was a value added character who helped to provide levity throughout the film. 

Isla Fisher as Anna Malloy: Anna (Fisher) is Hoagie’s wife and matches his intensity and devotion to the game. As the willing accomplice to any endeavour, she cheerleads from the side to give her husband the confidence and impetus to succeed. A very intense actress, Fisher can transit from playing the devoted wife, the nymphomaniac bridesmaid to be, or shopaholic with ease.  However, comedy is her strong suit and this is where she excels the most. We enjoyed her contribution to this film and are looking forward to more comedies with Isla as part of the cast. 

Hannibal Buress            as Kevin Sable: Sable was the neurotic friend, constantly looking for reassurance and compassion where there was none to give. While part of the core cast, we found his contributions to be minimal compared to the rest. He was often used to provide background info or just be a filler in the story between action scenes. 

Jeremy Renner as Jerry Pierce: Jerry (Renner) was the principal antagonist of the film, he had the swagger, speed and arrogance required to effectively carry off the part. Renner, normally an action/drama star (The Hurt Locker, The Town, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, The Avengers, and the Bourne Legacy to name but a few) rarely forays into comedic roles. However, as part of the ensemble here, he easily represents the target of their combined angst. His inherent mischievousness that is evident in every role he plays really shines through. A very physical actor (as demonstrated by his resume), he easily convinces the audience that he can out-manoeuvre any attempt at capture. Renner’s portrayal as Jerry was fun to watch, especially when he would do his “Pre-action” narration prior to any activity or evasion. 

Leslie Bibb as Susan Rollins and Rashida Jones as Cheryl Deakins: Both actress’s roles were really minor in my opinion. They were relegated to minor love interests and only assisted in a very minor fashion to the telling of the story. Susan (Bibb) as the bride to be was in important to the story, but her contribution was actually relatively minor. Sure, she played the fake pregnancy card and laid out some rules, but other than that, she was relegated to minor status. Cheryl (Jones) contribution was even less so. While part of a love triangle between Chilli, Callahan and herself as children, this part could have been erased completely with no real difference to the film’s outcome. She seemed to be added to the film due to the fact that she had so much history with the other cast members. Ok, she was a bit funny, not overly so, but again, this character could have been removed with no real impact to the film’s outcome. 

We did watch the bonus extras of the film where the real participants of TAG were interviewed and reminisced, so that did help in the overall appreciation of the film and provided a bit of the back story. Did we enjoy this film? Yes, we did. It was funny, silly and totally brainless. In this time of global stress and angst, this film was a small escape. All you had to do is cue up the film, open a bottle of Pinot Grigio (this is not a serious film, so something light is required), make some popcorn and sit and enjoy the ride. Remember, this is no work of art, but you will be entertained, you will laugh and will have a chance to escape reality just for a little bit and remember what it was like to be carefree as a child.

Our rating: 5/10

If you are interested in other films/TV shows by the principal characters, consider the following:

Ed Helms                      We’re the Millers, The Office, The Hangover trilogy

Jon Hamm                    Bridesmaids, Mad Men, Richard Jewell, Million Dollar Arm

Annabelle Wallis           The Mummy, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Jake Johnson                Stumptown, New Girl

Isla Fisher                     Wedding Crashers, The confessions of a shopaholic 

Jeremy Renner              The Avengers, The Hurt Locker, The Bourne Legacy, American Hustle

Cast:

Chris Hemsworth                                  Capt Mitch Nelson

Michael Shannon                                  Hal Spencer

Michael Pena                                        Sam Diller

Navid Negahban                                   Gen. Dostum

Trevante Rhodes                                   Ben Milo

Geoff Stults                                          Sean Coffers

Rob Riggle                                            Lt Col Bowers

William Fichtner                                    Colonel Mulholland

As with many others at this time, we have increased our consumption of television as a result of staying home. However, in our home, we have reserved movies for the weekend. Even when every day feels like a weekend lately. For this Friday’s feature we selected 12 Strong (2018). Based on a true story, this film tells the tale of the first military incursion into Afghanistan after the attack on the twin towers on 9/11. What also intrigued me about this film was the fact that I had really enjoyed the book, Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton. My wife and I both enjoy movies that are based on fact, so in that light, we were both looking forward to this film.

12 Strong is about Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 595 which was selected as the first Special Forces Unit to deploy into Afghanistan at the outset of the Greater War On Terror (GWOT). Once deployed into theatre, Capt Mitch Nelson and his 12-man A-Team must hook up with General Dostum and provide whatever assistance they can in these very early days. Not only does this team have to combat the Taliban, they also have to overcome cultural/language differences, long supply lines, and weather, but they also have to accomplish their mission before winter sets in and all activities would be curtailed. Their prime mission is to assist General Dostum’s forces in the capture of Mazar-i-Sharif. The liberation of Mazar-i-Sharif from the Taliban was the lynch-pin for the demise of the Taliban in Afghanistan and was an extremely important and strategic mission. The assistance provided by ODA 595 would primarily centre on the direction of air support and strikes on Taliban targets.  As this film is of real events, it is not really giving any spoilers when it is stated that this support provided in the early days were integral to the demise of the Taliban in Afghanistan. 

Now, let us talk about the film’s main actors, their portrayal, and the scenery and cinematography. 

Chris Hemsworth as Captain Mitch Nelson: The central figure in this film, Hemsworth did an admirable job portraying a Special Forces Officer. Not only can he look the part, but his attitude in getting the job done was portrayed in a believable fashion. Hemsworth is steadily becoming a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood, besides the Marvel universe as Thor, he has been in a number of films to show his diversity, i.e. Star Trek (George Kirk), Cabin in the Woods (Kurt), Red Dawn (Jed Eckert) and Men in Black: International (Agent H). Hemsworth will support or lead a film with equal alacrity. Ok, some of the films I mentioned (i.e. Men in Black) were not exactly great, but he is showing his diversity. As it always difficult to portray a real character, especially one still alive, Hemsworth managed to display the determination, leadership qualities and care for his men in a believable fashion. Action movies being his strong suit, Hemsworth did a great job in this film overall. 

Michael Shannon as Hal Spencer: Shannon is becoming more and more prevalent in the industry of late, or maybe just in films that I have chosen to watch. His stoic demeanor was perfectly suited to play the role of a Chief Warrant Officer (CWO). A CWO is an expert and technical specialist in military activities with many years of experience to draw upon. There were several scenes with Shannon that I specifically enjoyed. The first was when Spencer (Shannon) interceded with the Commanding Officer to ensure that Nelson (Hemsworth) was back on the team. This scene clearly articulates the importance of a CWO in a military institution and how their advice and guidance is valued by the senior command. Just the fact that the CWO would vouch for the junior officer is testament to the faith in the Captains abilities. This trust will go along way with the Chain of Command, and obviously in this case, it did. The 2^ndscene with Spencer (Shannon) that I liked was when his team pulled up on horseback to the battlefield and he had to be assisted off the horse as his back was in intense pain. This was realistic and also confirmed in the extra’s of the film. The real CWO Spencer (Bob Pennington) stated that he actually did have to be assisted off of his horse as his back was in so much pain. These realities helped make this film into a thoroughly enjoyable experience. 

Michael Pena as Sam Diller: Pena is in a supporting role here, and this is where he is best. He can play action, comedy or drama when required. His diversity is added bonus to any film that he is part of. In 12 Strong, he did not disappoint. Pena does an excellent job of articulating the military’s penchant for dark humour. His quips and barbs were well timed and delivered, further adding to the entertainment value of the film. 

Navid Negahban as Gen. Dostum: Negahban’s portrayal of Gen Dostum was what I had pictured in my mind’s eye when reading the book. Dostum (Negahban) easily demonstrated the cultural differences that were present during this conflict. The west can try to understand Afghanistan and its people, but I fear that they never really will. In my own tours in Kandahar, and in my conversations with the indigenous populace, I always found the differences amazing and extremely interesting. When driving through Kandahar or even down highway 1 en-route to Kabul, we would receive the full spectrum of attention. Everything from smiling/waving faces, rocks/food thrown at our vehicles to even small arms fire. You would never know what to expect.  Dostum’s (Negahban) actions throughout the film were in line with the climate of the time. He was well known leader in Afghanistan who was reputed to be extremely dangerous. There are several scenes in this film (and articulated in the book as well) which I found very interesting. The first is during initial meeting with ODA 595. The troops had brought in a gift of horse feed for the General, which he dismissed out of hand. It was not until the gift of a bottle of Vodka that he was more receptive of their arrival. The second scene of import (to me) was the first attack where he communicated with the Taliban in the village to see if there was a specific relative in place. They did not attack until it was clear that he was not present. This was also in the book, and I remember our own intelligence briefs prior to deployment on how the culture influenced their concept of war. Finally, it was Dostum’s statement that he could not afford to let the Americans get injured. He feared that if one of them would sustain an injury that American support would decrease and that he would again be left to fight the Taliban on his own. I enjoyed Negahban as Dostum and I think his role was integral to the plot of the film as well as the film’s success.

William Fichtner as Colonel Mullholand: Fichtner is a personal favourite of mine. Extremely versatile he can take on any role, however, it must be noted that most of his roles are playing those in uniform (Armageddon, Prison Break, Black Hawk Down, Invasion, to name but a few), but he has also dabbled in some comedic roles (Big Bang Theory, Blades of Glory, Mom) and has done an admirable job there as well. Personally, I think his portrayal of Colonel Mulholland was very well done. He had the appropriate air of command and gravitas that would be required for a person who had those responsibilities, though I must say, his shaved head did give him some resemblance to Golum in Lord of the Rings. 

Rob Riggle as LCol Bowers: Riggle’s role here while integral to the plot was not stellar. While he could effectively portray an officer (hell, he was one), I found him to be a little stilted in portions of his delivery. I did find it extremely interesting to find out that he actually served under the real LCol Bowers in 2001. It is not often that an actor gets to play someone he knew in real life, so that might have been the reason where sometimes the delivery might have been a bit off.  Maybe it was the fact that he was actually portraying a former commanding officer that intimidated him a bit, I don’t know, but I find he is far better in his comedic ventures than serious ones.  

12 Strong was predominately filmed in New Mexico, and the scenery was very reminiscent of Afghanistan itself. The mountain scenes, sand, dunes etc. brought back many memories for me. While I knew it was not Afghanistan proper, it was similar enough to bring me back the memories of the terrain from many years ago. I enjoyed it and found it very interesting. Additionally, even the base in Uzbekistan was similar enough to what I experienced in Afghanistan to demonstrate some realism, so well done to the producers and director. The biggest fault I found in the film though was some of the battle scenes…. c’mon guys, your magazine’s are not limitless. I think I only saw one instance that they actually switched magazines. The amount of full-auto fire-power that was demonstrated would have each soldiers carrying about 50 lbs in ammo alone. But I know, it is a movie…and I did find it entertaining even with the unlimited ammo. Also, some of the bombs dropped on support were far too close then would be the case for them to really survive the explosion, but again it is a film, and it did add to the excitement of the battle sequences. 

Overall how did we find this film? We enjoyed it, 12 Strong gave a fair portrayal of military operations, specifically in the early days of the war in Afghanistan. It was a true story that did not really stretch the facts to something unbelievable. The casting was above average for a film of this nature and the balance between action, humour and the telling of the story was well done. For my wife and I, both veterans of Afghanistan, 12 Strong brought back memories and instilled discussions between us of our tours and experiences. We especially enjoyed the quips and barbs of dark humour interspersed within the film, as we know how often lines like that are the reality in an operation. We were entertained throughout the film, and I think I would watch it again to get some of the nuances etc that I missed the first time around. 

Our Rating: 6.5/10

If you are interested in other films from the main cast, please consider the following recommendations.

Chris Hemsworth          Thor (trilogy), Avengers (trilogy), Cabin in the Woods, Red Dawn

Michael Shannon          Knives Out, Boardwalk Empire

Michael Pena                Antman, World Trade Centre, Chips, The Shield

William Fichtner            Prison break, Armageddon, Black Hawk Down

                        

Cast:

Kevin Costner                           Frank Hamer

Woody Harrelson                      Maney Gault

Kathy Bates                              Ma Ferguson

John Carroll Lynch                     Lee Simmons