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13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)
"All the gods, all the heavens, all the hells, are within you."
Detailing the actions of contracted security attempting to survive the 2012 terror attacks on the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on the 9/11 anniversary.
For a Micheal Bay film (directed, not just produced), this is actually very, very good. It had a very grounded feel, almost completely out of tune with Bay's reputation as a "huge explosions everywhere and all the time" guy. The characters are fairly likable, although since the main cast is a contract team, then you don't really get to see them as much beyond being mildly-different soldiers. But hey, we get a funny story about how the ex-Ranger and his fellow trainees rubbed their junk on the favorite beret of a drill sergeant they hated!
The film does fairly well at conveying the mounting paranoia (and once the violence breaks out, the distrust and lack of knowledge) of the contractors: they can hardly tell hostiles from friendlies, their superior constantly telling them he doesn't know if any help is in the area whenever someone suspicious shows up, how the locals seem to not only be utterly unreliable but possibly involved in the attacks. I have to say that I am fairly impressed with the expression, really helps to nail the desperate struggle.
What the video also does is show the total mess that was the attempts at extracting the targets from danger. All of the nearest American or allied forces were barely close enough to help, and a number of them were never given clearance to get off the ground.
Overall, the film is a very excellent portrayal of unyielding courage in the face of overwhelming adversity. That those men were able to do what they did for such a long time under unspeakable pressure is a testament to the power of the human spirit.
Highly recommend.
"All the gods, all the heavens, all the hells, are within you."
Detailing the actions of contracted security attempting to survive the 2012 terror attacks on the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on the 9/11 anniversary.
For a Micheal Bay film (directed, not just produced), this is actually very, very good. It had a very grounded feel, almost completely out of tune with Bay's reputation as a "huge explosions everywhere and all the time" guy. The characters are fairly likable, although since the main cast is a contract team, then you don't really get to see them as much beyond being mildly-different soldiers. But hey, we get a funny story about how the ex-Ranger and his fellow trainees rubbed their junk on the favorite beret of a drill sergeant they hated!
The film does fairly well at conveying the mounting paranoia (and once the violence breaks out, the distrust and lack of knowledge) of the contractors: they can hardly tell hostiles from friendlies, their superior constantly telling them he doesn't know if any help is in the area whenever someone suspicious shows up, how the locals seem to not only be utterly unreliable but possibly involved in the attacks. I have to say that I am fairly impressed with the expression, really helps to nail the desperate struggle.
What the video also does is show the total mess that was the attempts at extracting the targets from danger. All of the nearest American or allied forces were barely close enough to help, and a number of them were never given clearance to get off the ground.
Overall, the film is a very excellent portrayal of unyielding courage in the face of overwhelming adversity. That those men were able to do what they did for such a long time under unspeakable pressure is a testament to the power of the human spirit.
Highly recommend.
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