Review: 12 Strong Is 2018s 13 Hours
- Mar 8, 2018
- 1 min read
There's something about cavalry charges and cinema that just works.
In the days following the September 11 attacks, Captain Mitch Nelson (Chris Hemsworth) is given an impossible task. Rendezvous with Afghani warlord General Dostum (Navid Negahban) and work with him to clear a path to the Taliban stronghold of Mazar-I-Sharif. Between their location and the objective however, lies an army of Taliban.
One of my favourite films of 2016 was Michael Bay's unexpected hit, 13 Hour. 12 Strong follows suit with a solidly made, if not genre defining, war film that succeeds in almost every regard. The performances are good, though Hemsworth's American accent isn't great. The action is well shot and packs a punch, and the pacing is near perfect. There are however, two standouts.
Navid Negahban's performance as General Dostum outdoes the likes of Michael Shannon AND Chris Hemsworth, with seeming ease. His character is by far the most interesting of the group, and it shows in everything he does. The other standout is the cinematography which is quite astounding, especially coming from a first time director. It's truly cinematic in that regard, especially regarding the number of horse charges throughout.
In short, of the two action films released this week, 12 Strong is the one to see. It delivers the kind of thrill one expects from a war film and, while it doesn't change the way they'll be made, it will certainly entertain.
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