← Head back
← Head back
Overanalyzing Anime
Blog Owner & Lead Writer
12 Strong tells the story of Task Force: Dagger, a group of soldiers sent into Afghanistan immediately following the attacks on September 11th, 2001. Though the odds were stacked heavily against them, they put their lives on the line in order to avenge those lost that day.
After a very long hiatus, I was finally able to get back into the movie theaters last night; I can’t believe that it was the first time for this year. With that being said, this was definitely a great choice for my first movie of the year.
12 Strong is an excellent example of the capability of “Star Power.” I personally am not much of a fan of movies that focus on war, but the opportunity to see Thor - erm, I mean Chris Hemsworth - play a different kind of role was something I didn’t want to miss. And, man, does he do an excellent job in his role. Really, they all do. So many of my favorite actors were in this movies - such as Michael Shannon, MichaelPeña, & William Fichtner - & they all did an incredible job capturing the essence of their respective characters. Even usual funny-man Rob Riggle was convincing in his role as a Lt. Cornel.
In addition to the actors, this movie did a great job displaying the (often) bloody, messy nature of war. Not only that, it also managed to inject elements of comedy, when it was appropriate.
What I appreciate most about this movie, though, is the way in which it approached Afghanistan & its people. Yes, the soldiers were (rightfully) angry & looking to eradicate the Taliban, but that’s as far as their hatred went. They didn’t go the route of other movies - for example American Sniper - & make overtly racist remarks about the country & its people as a whole. The aforementioned movie often referred to the Afghani people as “savages,” & I took issue with that - especially because of the rampant #Islamophobia that resurged as a result of that movie. I appreciate the fact that this movie chose a different approach in that regard.
All in all, I really enjoyed this movie. With its incredible cast & inspiring story I can’t help but recommend it.
My rating: 9/10
No comments yet. Be the first!
Comments are reviewed before they appear.
