Lone Survivor

A not very sophisticated war movie that disgusted me in the first half with the awful black and white view of the world by the Americans, for whom anyone wearing a turban is a dangerous enemy. Fortunately, things get better in the third act, which gets its feet back on the ground in this regard. Even with all the whistling, the survival-combat part was pretty good fun. (01/05/2014)

Say what you will, but that's the way it really is today, unfortunately. Two hours of pain that is palpable, both physically and mentally, which, with its riveting formal structure and surprisingly strong emotional impact, earned my warm sympathy and admiration. Only Spielberg's landing in Normandy and the action sequences in Coppola's Apocalypse Now have so far evoked such a realistic impression in me within the genre – naturalism almost free of the usual Hollywood clichés and that, although by the end I was feeling the compulsive need to hold a bag of popcorn in my hand, successfully suppresses commercial trappings in favour of authenticity and an extraordinary viewing experience. Moreover, it presents as great heroes ordinary Afghan civilians who have not forgotten to use their hearts and who don't give a damn about the Taliban. In short, Peter Berg has finally started to interest me properly, Mark Wahlberg has definitely become an excellent actor and I regret very much that I didn't catch this movie in the cinema, I would have added that fifth star otherwise. 85% (02/08/2014)

I suspect an agitational order from the Department of Defense selling one of its "based on a true story" films. I do not deny the power of the plot, nor the willingness to bow before the fallen and salute the bereaved. From the middle onwards, I was just terribly annoyed by Berg's direction, which pushes pathos out of the screen (in slow-mo so long that it borders on parody), gradually losing contact with the protagonists, who become nothing more than bodies falling from rocks, covered in bloody welts. The first contact, without music and with a "predator" camera, is flawless, but I simply don't think the constant subjective close-ups of faces create the right action military drama. In the final act, I felt ashamed for the creators. It’s only functional as an acted intermezzo for "Medal of Honor." (11/01/2014)

An absolutely captivating war movie about how a group of four Terminators disguised as SEALs go on a high-altitude trek through Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and how the awfully evil Taliban (hereafter AET) really don’t like it, so they try to persuade the awfully nice Americans (hereafter ANA) to go to the happy hunting ground using their ample arsenal. The film opens with scenes of a peaceful life at the American military base where the Marines are planning weddings, making a shopping list for IKEA, and conferring with their fellow soldiers about interior design. This friendly scene is soon followed by the aforementioned trekking, which, after an action-packed encounter with a herd of goats, turns into the AET's repeated attempts to take out all four Terminators. They survive insane falls, being hit by projectiles from various firearms (mainly AK 47s and RPGs), and, since the AET don't have Linda Hamilton or Michael Biehn in their ranks, they take an awfully long time. Plus, they get betrayed by the residents of a nearby village, so their plan turns to dust. When the helicopters arrived, I wished I were an American so I could proudly stand at attention and shed tears with my hand on my heart. (12/20/2016)

The introduction is OK. The middle – and longest – survival part of the film is stunning, visually well-arranged and efficiently conveyed, with several chillingly brutal scenes. The climax is ridiculously simplistic political propaganda for the average US viewer. Overall, Lone Survivor is good film for relaxation, but it will sink into oblivion as fast as all of Peter Berg’s action flicks. (01/16/2014)