Director Michael Bay leaves out politics and blame in this exciting and very powerful war thriller, "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi," starring John Krasinski, James Badge Dale, Pablo Schreiber, David Costabile and more. Based on the book, 13 Hours by Mitchell Zuckoff, this American biographical film tells the true story of a CIA security team who are forced to defend a U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, when it is attacked on the anniversary of Sept. 11.
"13 Hours" is a solid action-packed military movie and is the kind of film that makes you proud to be an American. The film doesn't point fingers at who is to blame, at least on the surface, but rather provides viewers with a pure military-fighting, real-life story. It can be extremely violent at times, but unlike what we expect from Michael Bay, he seems to use some restraint. Among other aspects, the acting is decent, the visuals are good, there is a mild level of humor and the action is quite appealing.
On the evening of the eleventh anniversary of the September 11 attacks, a group of Islamic militants unexpectedly attacked the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, which held American Ambassador, Chris Stevens and his staff. Being the main source of backup, a small group of six CIA security contractors at a nearby CIA Annex building embark on a desperate attempt to rescue the Ambassador and defend the compound from the terrorists despite orders to stand down. They eventually make it back to the Annex and must hold their ground until additional help can arrive, which is hours away.
It's very interesting to see how the military operates, coordinates and stages an attack or defense. I was on the edge of my seat for a good portion of the movie, watching intently to see what would happen next and if or when someone was going to die. In typical Bay fashion, there is a ton of explosions, firepower, fighting and all around intense action and drama that keeps you constantly engaged. After making it back to the Annex building and holding up for backup, the small U.S. defense must hold off wave after wave of terrorists, each time coming back with more men or more powerful weapons and explosives.
At one point in the film, one of the soldiers actually compares the ongoing fighting to a horror film. The American soldiers naturally have their way of speaking to each other and joking around, even in the direst of times, and it's also very chaotic trying to figure out who is a "friendly" and who is an "enemy," especially with the language barrier. The Americans are constantly keeping their eyes open, as any person they meet on the street or that pulls up to the compound can be a potential threat. It is completely unthinkable and scary at times like zombies coming out of nowhere at the taking of the Alamo as these locals just appear.
The U.S. soldiers are even more humanized by the showing of their families and lives back home that they are so eager to get back to. While the action is the primary driving factor of the film, there is a clear level of emotion and sentiment as you feel for the men fighting over there and risking their lives for their country and other Americans. There are moments of heartbreak as well as jaw-dropping shock at seeing what these men go through to survive.
Unknown as to how much say he had, Bay appears to have gone with a somewhat lesser known cast, made up of some recognizable actors for average moviegoers or TV watchers, mixed with some fresh faces. Some of the actors include Krasinski, Dale, and Schreiber, who give notably good performances, as well as Martini, Costabile, Dominic Fumusa, David Denman, Toby Stephens, Alexia Barlier, Matt Letscher, Peyman Moaadi, etc. Some of the dialogue can be a bit weak at times, but the focus of the film is clearly elsewhere. It can also often be difficult to always tell who is who in the midst of a firefight and nighttime setting.
Overall, I was very impressed and very much enjoyed the experience "13 Hours" provides. It's reminiscent of a Michael Bay + "Lone Survivor" or "American Sniper" type film, and is one I'd definitely see again. It has a running time of 2 hours and 24 minutes, but the film seems to go by rather quickly for a longer feature, likely because of the action.
We all know how this film turns out. American lives are lost, and some say this film finally tells the true story of what really happened to these men. You cannot help from walking away feeling very proud and yet very sad at the same time asking, why did this happen and why didn't they send anyone to help sooner? "13 Hours" features a compelling story that will have you on the edge of your seat even though you already know the ending, and it will not disappoint.
I had a chance to see the film at the world premiere at AT&T Stadium and the director, main actors, military veterans, and some of the real people portrayed in the film were in attendance. There seemed to be a great deal of applause throughout and most appeared to appreciate the movie.
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars.
"13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi" is rated R for strong combat violence throughout, bloody images, and language. Running time is 2 hours and 24 minutes.
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Hayden Pittman is a special contributor to WFAA.com and a freelance film critic and entertainment writer out of Dallas. He is a film, TV, and sports enthusiast, and when he is not reviewing movies, Hayden works in film production. As an average, passionate film lover who rarely misses a film, his reviews are simple and straightforward. Don't like what he has to say. Let him know at hpittman87@gmail.com, find him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter at @HPMoviePitt. Enjoy the movies!
