Navy SEAL Operation Adapted into Outstanding Film

When I heard critics call ‘Lone Survivor’ the best war movie since ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ I was a little skeptical. It’s not that I didn’t believe in the talents of the actors in the film, it’s simply that creating a spectacular war movie is tricky—it seems that these movies are either outstanding or fall way short.

‘Lone Survivor’ is outstanding.

‘Lone Survivor’ is based on the true events of a Navy SEAL team on an operation in Afghanistan. Marcus Luttrell, the lone survivor, wrote a book about these events. If you don’t know the story of Luttrell and his team, all you have to do is a quick google search and you’ll see article after article about this hero, as well as, a plethora of video interviews.

In 2005, Luttrell and his SEAL team were a part of Operation Red Wings, an operation to capture al Qaeda leader Ahmad Shahd. Despite their ample preparation, a group of three goat herders turned their plan upside down. They capture the herders but eventually let them go, complying with the rules of engagement.

This decision resulted in hundreds of Al Qaeda fighters hunting them down in the rocky, dangerous mountains of Afghanistan.

Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster play the team chosen to undergo this mission (Luttrell, himself, makes a few cameo appearances). These four actors really honed in on the brotherly love aspect needed for the film’s success. From the first scenes, your heart is already breaking, as you watch them talk about an upcoming wedding, one of their wives’ obsession with redecorating the house and listen to their playful banter. They are brothers first and throughout the films harrowing fighting scenes, you see their loyalty and undying respect for one another.

‘Lone Survivor’ is exactly what a war movie should be—grimy, heartbreaking and extremely intense. If you’re able to keep your emotions in check during the movie, you won’t be able to at the end when a slideshow of pictures of the real Navy SEAL Team runs across the screen.

Although it’s movie award season and you may be itching to see those Oscar nominated films, I suggest you think about seeing ‘Lone Survivor.’ It may not be an award winning film, but it’s definitely one to see on the big screen.