Trailer Link

Release Date:

December 25, 2013

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “Based on the failed June 28, 2005 mission “Operation Red Wings”. Four members of SEAL Team 10 were tasked with the mission to capture or kill notorious Taliban leader Ahmad Shahd.”

Poster: D+

Review: Either this poster gives away who the “lone survivor” of the film is or it’s horrendously selfish. It’s not flashy or creative or otherwise engaging. Had they included multiple posters for each character, I might have been more inclined to give it a higher rating, but it’s just dull.

Trailer: C+ / B-

Review: The first trailer is reminiscent of Zero Dark Thirty in its depiction of front-line soldiers developing their camaraderie while a dangerous threat sits on their doorstep. After that, you get that this is something of an action film with dire consequences, but little else.

Eliminating the set-up portions of the film from the second trailer enhances its excitement level, making this about a more cohesive band of brothers faced with the dangerous threat of war, trapped in woods of danger. That thrill will do more to sell the film to a mass audience than the first trailer would have.

Oscar Prospects:

It was thought to be a contender for the Oscars, but wasn’t seen early enough by most critics and reviews are trickling in that aren’t exactly favorable, so don’t look for much out of this film.

Revisions:

(December 22, 2013) Original