13 Hours (2016)
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| Pic by http://teaser-trailer.com |
Director: Michael Bay
Writers: Chuck Hogan (screenplay), Mitchell Zuckoff (Book "13 Hours).
Cast: John Krasinski (Jack Silva), Pablo Schreiber (Kris 'Tanto' Paronto), James Badge Dale (Tyrone 'Rone' Woods), David Denman (Dave 'Boon' Benton), Dominic Fumusa (John 'Tig' Tiegen), Max Martini (Mark 'Oz' Geist), Alexia Barlier (Sona Jillani), David Costabile (Bob), Peyman Moaadi (Amahl), Matt Letscher (Ambassador Chris Stevens), Toby Stephens (Glen 'Bub' Doherty), Demetrius Grosse (DS Dave Ubben), David Giuntoli (DS Scott Wickland), Kevin Kent (DS Vincent), David Furr (DS Alec), and Mike Moriarty (DS Wesley).
*This review is dedicated to the American soldiers in Benghazi; To their bravery and honor. These men stood their ground, endured in a place of chaos and darkness. *
Following the 2011 civil war, the execution of dictator Muammar Gaddafi, Benghazi transformed into one of the most violent locations in the world, because of this the United States pulled all of their outposts, except for one, it was called the Annex. The security force behind the Annex or GRS (Global Response Staff) is a group of CIA contractors.
The contractor's residing in the Annex; Jack Silva (John Krasinski), Tyrone 'Rone' Woods (James Badge Dale), Kris 'Tanto' Paronto (Pablo Schreiber), Dave 'Boon' Benten (David Denman), John 'Tig' Tiegen (Dominic Fumusa), and Mark 'Oz Geist (Max Martini). The Chief of the Annex, is Bob (David Costabile); and the CIA undercover agents Sonia Jillani (Alexia Barlier), and Brit Vayner (Freddie Stroma), The agents are the ones that communicate all the U.S. policy, trying to establish a more diplomatic stance on the many issues inside the region. The security team protects their many locations, meetings between officials that are of importance to U.S. agenda's. Negotiations are made, no matter what the cost, the security team protects the undercover agents in order to achieve intelligence.
"Seriously guys. If the consulate ordered a pizza it would've been there by now." -Kris 'Tanto' Paronto-
The special mission compound: U.S. Ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens (Matt Letscher), and his guards David Ubben (Demetrius Gross), and Scott Wickland (David Giuntoli). The team meets the guards, and familiarizes themselves with the compound, noticing the paid Libyan guards, and the open location is worrisome.
The morning of September 11, 2012, the Ambassador Stevens notices men outside the compound, taking some pictures; He calls his security to investigate.
Annex: Jack Silva (John Krasinski) is talking to his wife, on his laptop, she smiles, while trying to keep her kids from telling a big secret, she's pregnant. Becky is pregnant, a secret that was exposed by the giggling children in the back of the SUV. An emotional moment, Jack is stricken with emotion, while Becky (Wrenn Schmidt) is trying to order Mcdonald's at the drive thru for the kids. The loud speaker goes off, "How many burgers do you want?" Becky responded with, " Give me everything on the menu." She cries, tears of joy, while Jack smiles, holds back some tears. A personal moment that will forever change him, an escape from reality, a place of hope, joy, happiness that has hit him.
Compound: As the night hits, a large group of armed men, they quickly attack the Libyan guards, which surrenders. Wickland, one of the guards takes Stevens and Sean Smith (Christopher Dungli) into the secured panic room. The armed group of men use diesel fuel, to try and smoke them out the panicked Ambassador and personal guards. Wickland trying to figured out an escape plan has made it out, but the chaos and craziness has separated both Stevens and Smith and are nowhere to be found. He must've lost them on the way out, they were following him, and now they're gone. Wickland could hear the men getting closer to him, time is running out, he must somehow get help, contact the Annex.
Annex: The call is made and the Chief is notified of the attack on the compound. He orders his men to stand down. Afterwards the team refuses to continue to wait and heads out to the compound. Shortly after arriving Jack and Rone find the dead body of Smith, smoke inhalation cause of death. Some exchange of fire, the team is faced with yet another issue. The body of the Ambassador wasn't found, and after assessing the situation they secure Smith's body and head back to the Annex, where they are followed, the group of islamic terrorist will pursue them, and another battle begins, one bigger than the compound. The security team must hold their ground, against an army of militants, men who will stop at nothing, their attacks come in strong waves, one stronger than the other. The CIA contractors, security team must hold their ground until help arrives....
"C- You should see the look in his eyes. These guys are gonna relive this night for the rest of their lives. My whole mindset? Never feel that. You go down shooting, balls out, every time." -Tyrone 'Rone' Woods-
Review: The film begins with an introduction to all the characters, which i like if you're not familiar with anyone. The close up scenes were really good, loved the personal close ups, it made the film more real, as if you were on location. Michael Bay did an excellent job getting his intelligence right. The production team reached out to the survivors of Benghazi. Knowing that gives me a sign of relief, because the director and his team had heart to go and make the film as accurate as possible. some war films leave out details of the actual events that are personal, but real, and to me the reality of it is just as important as the guns, and explosions. These were real life people who experienced a traumatic event, that will either change them or affect them mentally and physically.
The filming was in Morocco, and Malta off the Mediterranean Sea. The cluster of islands which is surrounded by Tunisia, Libya, way south of Italy. Either way the production team really gave a feeling of reality. The man watching sports on his computer, while the soldiers storm the streets, heading over the the Ambassador's compound. A sheer moment of desperation, my heart was pumping, it was as if i were in their shoes. That's the way i felt watching this film. The soldiers, CIA contractors, were moving along watching every corner, and the bad guys were hiding among the good guys, or friendlies. That feeling, who to trust, desperate situations intruded my very soul. Yep. the film had that effect, it made you feel almost lost.
Imagine going into a hot place, and i don't mean the heat, a place full of men, you don't know or care about. The militants are hidden well, and when you least expect it, the heat comes down on you, like a bad storm. these men secured the compound, found Smith, tried to get Stevens but couldn't because of the intense heat, inside the building.
The sequence on top of the buildings, inside the Annex base of operations was filmed to perfection. The gritty moments, down to the emotional points, to the motor hitting one of the buildings, and killing one of the soldiers. That was an emotional moment in the film. Silva running to his friend, almost felt the hopelessness that he felt, a well oriented sequence. The pieces were all together here. No matter what the cost, it was about watching each other's back, and the very moment leading up to the chaos on top of those buildings. The shots were good enough to tell a story on it's own, it displayed a sense of rage, anger, emptiness.
"What would they say about me? He died in a place he didn't need to be, in a battle over something he doesn't understand, in a country that meant nothing to him." -Jack Silva-
Another sequence i thought was really good was the scene inside the Annex, all chaos, the explosions after the first wave of attacks, the CIA guys are trying to communicate with other bases, trying to get help. Their attempts were almost in vain, it was like if your family had gotten you a super gift for your birthday, but returned it last minute because of the added expense. This might be a bad analogy, but it felt horrible, the despair was very overwhelming. The filmmakers really did things right, they got the feeling of a base being attacked by an enemy, and despite all odds, after the first wave of attacks, the Annex team almost had a brief victory, they had kept their ground. Until a car of young men approached the gate. They were texting something, maybe coordinates, something. The sense of fear, came in, just a car going the wrong way, or something else. The scene was good, because even though the sniper had the shot, it was the human part of him, that decided not to shoot, and kill the young men inside the car.
"I never really get scared. Is that weird? Whenever bullets start to fly, I always feel protected. You know, like it's... As long as I'm doing the right thing, God'll take care of me. But that's crazy, right?" -Kris 'Tanto' Paronto-
This is the second re-written review for the film 13 Hours, not because i had written it badly, or lack of trying, but i wanted a different feel. The energy of reviews are either negative or positive, but in my reviews i want to deliver something more. The energy must be right, this is a very political issue, which i really delivered in my first draft of this review. I scrapped it because to me it just wasn't right. Sure i could go into the political parts, but what good would that do, the fact that these men, died, and out on the internet, you get another negative, not as personal point of view from the political forum. I did bring up some things, but here, now, these guys need something more. They do not need, a why? were you there, or an opinion that would be damaging to them mentally, or emotionally. I was not on location, i did not see the mass destruction, so shame on me to give a personal view on what occurred. But, what i can do is write a review on the filmmaking. Was the film good enough to feel like you're there? Experiencing what they did, yes. Was it a great film in the sense of reality, facts?, Yes. I did like the feeling it gave me, and i mean that in a good way. The energy of life, trying to live through the bullets, mass destruction, and yet these men endured; That's what i liked about the film. The director Michael Bay did not hold back, he endured like these men, infact the film to me was a good depiction of what transpired. You want a political review, go elsewhere. To me this film is perfect, because these men no matter what the cost were trying to go home. And against all odds these men endured, despite the loss and pain, they're true American heroes.
"You have a U.S. Ambassador at risk. Send us, Chief. You've got to send us." -Tyrone 'Rone' Woods-
"The Ambassador is in his safe haven with his body man. You're not the first responders. You're the last resort. You will wait." -Bob-
A diplomatic outpost, and a covert CIA base of operations, six elite ex-military operators Code name: G.R.S. (Global Response Staff).
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