Saturday, January 20, 2018

FILM REVIEW: 12 Strong (2018)

Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig

**1/2

12 Strong is a competent enough film with enough heart and soul that make for a worthwhile trip to the cinema. However, it is riddled with shortcomings and missed opportunities that, unfortunately, glare just a little too brightly. It is all the more frustrating considering just how remarkable the true story is.

For those unfamiliar, here is the abridged version of the story: the titular “12 Strong” were formally known as ODA 595, the very first Special Forces unit sent to Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks of September 11. Their mission was to join forces with a collective of Uzbek warlords to drive the Taliban out of Afghan city Mazar-I-Sharif. The twist of the story, for lack of a better term: they were required to travel by horseback.

One of the finer elements of 12 Strong is the tension as a result of these circumstances. The barren vistas of Afghanistan project the enemy’s presence everywhere and nowhere all at once. Not only are these men forced to confront a foreign enemy in a foreign landscape, but they must do it by way of unconventional and vulnerable transportation. To top it all off, the vast majority of ODA 595 have no idea how to even ride a horse.  When it comes time to do battle, the horses make for an interesting spin on a depiction of modern warfare. I was fondly reminded of certain battle scenes from Red Dawn, and this isn’t meant to come off as an insult.

Beyond this, 12 Strong is a film that rises and sets things up only to hit plateaus: it never goes downhill, per se, but never continues to rise, either.

Leading ODA 595 is Captain Mitch Nelson (Chris Hemsworth), and here is one of the film’s biggest issues. It is nothing to do with Hemsworth’s performances (he is just fine), not even anything to do with the character. In a team of twelve with one hell of a story to tell their grandchildren, only Captain Nelson has any significant presence and contribution to the ordeal. The remaining eleven are almost completely shoved to the sidelines, regardless of the talent cast in the roles, and there is some notable talent on display here (including Michael Shannon, one of the most striking actors working today).

Granted, the other eleven do have moments here and there that bring out the individual behind the uniform, commonly through jokes and quips exchanged between the troops. I found myself particularly compelled by Trevante Rhodes (of Moonlight fame) and his charming bond with a young Uzbek boy. The key word is “moments”, though, only hints at traits that ultimately fail to flesh out a complete character, and the Rhodes/Uzbek boy side story is no exception.

If there is any plateau that 12 Strong overcomes, it is the dynamic between Captain Nelson and General Dostum (Navid Negahban), the leader of the Uzbek warlords, and this is undoubtedly the strongest element of the film. Long story short, here are two men from completely opposite ends of the globe, completely foreign to each other’s lifestyles and cultures. Both have been wronged by the atrocities of the Taliban. While there are no buried prejudices between these two men, neither of them are completely sure if they want to take chances working side-by-side. How ironic that all that brings them together is their mutual enemy. It sounds horribly cliché, but I assure you it is anything but.


If I were to set the good and bad of 12 Strong on a scale, neither would outweigh the other. For me, it’s a weird position to be in: I enjoyed enough of it to recommend it, but I was distracted by the issues enough to score it only a 2 ½. At its core, though, it is a popcorn-grade war film. If that’s all you’re looking for (or if you’re willing to settle), I can’t say you’ll be disappointed. If you’re hoping for a transcendent depiction of an amazing story, I’m not making you any promises.

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