12 Strong: One of the best military movies of the last decade
12 Strong is exhilarating, action packed and is definitely one of the best military movies of the last decade.
Based on the book “Horse Soldiers” by Doug Stanton, 12 Strong is the true story of how 5th Group Special Forces soldiers from Ft. Campbell, KY responded mere weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The group of 12 Green Beret warriors flew in a Chinook from Uzbekistan to the northern Afghanistan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, a known Taliban stronghold.
Once in Afghanistan, their mission is to link up with warlords opposing the Taliban. Their primary contact is warlord, and future Afghan Vice President, General Abdul Rashid Dostum (Navid Negahban). Funded by the CIA, General Dostum is willing to escort and fight along with the 12 Strong – code-named Operational Detachment Alpha 595 (ODA 595) – in order to reclaim his country.
Team composition
Captain Mitch Nelson (Chris Hemsworth) heads the group. He’s a born leader who has commanded the team for two years, but has not yet tasted combat. Support comes from a wise-cracking and hardened team comprised of men who laugh and smirk at the kind of insurmountable odds that would make General Custer soil his pants. Twenty-to-one odds cause wisecracks about a “target rich environment.” Chief Warrant Officer Cal Spencer (Michael Shannon) acts as the gristled vet who grounds the team of hard-chargers including SFC Sam Diller (Michael Peña), Sean Coffers (Geoff Stults), and SFC Ben Milo (Trevante Rhodes).
Photo courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures via Warner Bros. Press Pass, 12 Strong
Photo courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures via Warner Bros. Press Pass, 12 Strong
The mission’s major hurdle
Between the bravado and B-52 carpet bombing there is some serious humbling of our heroes. It turns out General Dostum is fighting the Taliban – who have tanks, rockets, and huge machine guns – with horses. A literal cavalry against armored artillery. The horses and donkeys do the heavy lifting through the inhospitable and treacherous terrain, filled with canyons and caves, but the men of 12 Strong suffered from several miles of saddle sores.
Alongside the Northern Alliance, the Special Ops team moves from location to location on their once covert mission. Initially they call in air strikes to display American air superiority, but eventually become embroiled in close-quarters small arms combat. Their heroism shines like a beacon for their allies to follow, eventually moving onto the final goal of Mazar-i-Sharif.
Superb battle scenes
Anyone who has been to the Middle East knows that things move at their own pace. That means the initial movement forward is in baby steps for the Green Berets. The initial battles are primarily a matter of getting coordinates, calling in air strikes, and bombing the enemy. The battles grow more and more tense as they reach their final breath-holding crescendo. The film could have done a bit better differentiating battles from one another, even if the terrain didn’t really aid in such an endeavor. If the film has any flaws, the various engagements, while well executed and thrilling, exude repetitiousness.
Production success
Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Nicolai Fuglsig, 12 Strong has an excellent style and pace to keep the audience engaged. There’s near perfect balance. Wide-ranging shots of desolate, mountainous terrain create the appropriate feel. Just a dash of military family struggles and government red tape amplifies the humanity aspects. Clarity and structure is provided via a days-in-country ticker that also provides element location. It’s like being part of the military strategy room.
Next: Six is a small-screen Special Forces success
Long story short, 12 Strong is one of the best military movies of the last decade. It’s not as deeply emotional as Unbroken, or as inspirational as Hacksaw Ridge, but it rivals any in terms of unabashed, gung-ho patriotism and action. Only Lone Survivor is a worthy rival, and the end result was much more depressing. If 12 Strong weren’t a true story it would be unbelievable.
Fuglsig was smart to steer clear of enduring U.S. political ramifications and concentrate on the awesomeness of horseback soldiers firing machine guns while charging relentlessly into terrorist rocket volleys. In summary, if you’re looking for a reason to cheer on military heroes, 12 Strong is near perfect.