There’s something odd when a movie title has the director’s name in it. Even the big ego of Quentin Tarantino didn’t do that with his Inglorious Basterds, and he had a reason to, since there was a previous movie with that title (he just changed the spelling).
This is a bit of a departure from the style of film Ritchie usually makes (Snatch, Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels…etc.)
It’s an Afghan War story about an American sergeant (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his new interpreter (Dar Salim, the Iraqi-born Danish actor from Game of Thrones). They’re searching for Taliban members and weapons, and the two don’t get along so well. The interpreter is willing to work against the Taliban because they killed his family, and he was promised a Visa to the U.S. when the war is over. There’s mistrust on both sides and the interpreter does things that he wasn’t ordered to do. Even the first time, when he pays off someone for information, he’s dressed down for it, despite getting the results they were looking for. He’s supposedly good with engines, is in shape, and knows a variety of languages. He’s also smart enough to, when translating, not tell his sergeant everything being said. It’s interesting how his decisions are helping the troops, but they still seemingly treat him like he’s a loose cannon.
I’ve gotten a bit burned out on military/war pictures, so it was refreshing that when there were shooting scenes, they did surprise me a bit and were rather effectively shot. It’s not a spoiler to tell you (as the trailers did), that this guy ends up saving the sergeant’s life, in a way that’s rather dramatic.
Emily Beecham has a small role as the wife and mother who is back home, running the family's garage/repair shop. Although it had one of my movie pet peeves – a business phone number on the truck with their company name; it starts with 555. There are easy solutions to get around this; one being, just don’t have the phone number painted on the side of the truck!!!
Jonny Lee Miller is channeling the late Bill Paxton, playing a commanding officer who sometimes does things that aren’t above board, but helps get the job done. And he’ll later be at his wit’s end dealing with the sergeant and his demands.
The film is rather suspenseful, and the two soldiers have great chemistry together. What bothered me was this. After it ended, I thought it was an amazing true story and was ready to call it one of the best movies of the year. Upon finding out it was fictional, it then bothered me how unrealistic the story actually was. That made me like it less. I still think everyone will enjoy it.
3 stars out of 5.