"I'm a lover, I'm a fighter, I'm a UDT Navy Seal Diver" - LONE SURVIVOR

Lone Survivor
2013 - 121 minutes - Action/Biography/Drama
Director: Peter Berg
Country: United States
IMDB: 7.9
Metacritic: 60
RT: 74%

EpicEnthusiast's Rating: C

Watch this movie if you enjoy:

• military films 

• films based on true stories 

• action/gunfights 

• Mark Wahlberg 

Avoid this movie if you dislike: 

• military films 

• blood/violence 

• dramatization 

• tragic stories 

Peter Berg's Lone Survivor tells the incredible true story of Marcus Luttrell and his team of Navy Seals who get caught behind enemy lines in Afghanistan in 2005. Their mission to kill a notorious Taliban leader takes a turn for the worse when they cross paths with three civilians on a mountainside overlooking their target's location. Their decision regarding what to do with those civilians leads to a massive firefight, and changes the course of Luttrell's life forever. 

Ben Foster as Matt 'Axe' Axelson 

From a production standpoint, Lone Survivor is by no means perfect, but is made well enough. The opening shot consists of Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg) narrating over an image of himself being stretchered to an army base hospital. This opening takes a bit of the drama out of the film because we already know he survives; however, it does set the tone for an ultimately tragic ending. We get a decent amount of background from Luttrell's team (Taylor Kitsch as Michael Murphy, Emile Hirsch as Danny Dietz and Ben Foster as Matt 'Axe' Axelson) - it's just enough to make us care about them, but again, not nearly as effective as it normally would be because we all know how they're going to end up. In fact, a different title for the film wouldn't have been such a bad idea, because it would have added a certain shock value for people like me that weren't familiar with Luttrell's book or mission. But all in all, the opening third of the film was its strongest portion, and when the time comes, you're ready to suit up and head up into the mountains with the team. 

Disappointingly, like the fate of the Seals, Lone Survivor takes a turn for the worse when the action begins. It's not that the firefight sequences weren't well done; quite the opposite actually. Berg delivers fast paced, rugged, and for the most part very realistic scenes that definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. They're bloody and bruising, and they back up the film's two Oscar nominations for sound mixing and sound editing. Unfortunately, they also get weighed down by some unnecessary dramatic cliches. 

The team of Navy Seals

Some of these cliches come from Berg's script (co-written by Luttrell and Patrick Robinson). While fighting, the soldiers were often uttering words of patriotism or brotherhood that just seemed forced and out of place. For instance, at one point Axelson was aiming his weapon at an enemy, and with no one else around him says: "You can die for your country; I'm gonna live for mine." A line like this surely looks great on paper, but is it really something that would be said aloud during a hectic gun battle? Even for the most ruthless of warriors like the Seals, it just didn't seem natural. It was as if Berg attempted to implement little nuggets of dramatic dialogue to display just how brave the men were. Especially in a story like this, actions speak louder than words ever could. 

To quote Keith Uhlich of Time Out New York: 

"Berg may be adhering to the basic facts, but his movie's childish machismo is a disgrace to all involved." 

While Uhlich's take is a bit much, I can't help but agree that there was a certain "proud American macho man" feel that was simply overkill. There were also cliched slow motion deaths, and some unrealistic reactions to wounds and overall fatal situations. The men's bravery and camaraderie was utterly clear already, and the fact that Berg felt the need to dramatize the story even more was frustrating. 

Emile Hirsch in Lone Survivor

All that being said, the acting in Lone Survivor was excellent. Kitsch, Hirsch and Foster all did splendid jobs as members of the ill-fated team, and Wahlberg dominated the screen as the lead man. Again, I point the finger at Berg and the screenwriters for the misplaced dialogue, and give the actors the benefit of the doubt when it comes to this common issue. As far as I'm concerned, the script held them back, and kept the film from blossoming to its full potential. 

Overall, Lone Survivor is worth seeing, but is certainly flawed. It's a pulse pounding action thriller that tells an amazing true story, but tries too hard to overstate an already clear example of bravery and heroism. It's well-acted and well-made, but dampened by a sometimes immature script. In the end, Marcuss Luttrell and the men that lost their lives deserve a better film. 

-EE

Lone Survivor Trailer: