War movies come in many shapes and sizes. In 2014, Mark Wahlberg starred in a true-life movie set in 2005 during the Afghanistan conflict. Although the movie did not receive the biggest marketing campaign and has not become a “tip-of-the-tongue” go-to movie for those wanting to indulge in the genre, the film was a reasonable hit at the time of its release and left a lasting impression on audiences and critics with some strong reviews.
Lone Survivor is based on the non-fiction book by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson, which depicts the events of the failed U.S. Navy SEALs mission Operation Red Wings, which saw a four-man team attempting to track down Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. The film starred Wahlberg alongside Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, and Eric Bana. The full synopsis of the movie reads:
“In 2005 Afghanistan, Navy SEALs Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg), Michael Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch) and Matthew “Axe” Axelson (Ben Foster) deploy on a mission of surveillance and to take out Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. Though spotted by goatherds, Luttrell and his team decide not to kill them. But one of the Afghans alerts a group of Taliban fighters to the invaders, and a terrible battle ensues, in which the SEALs find themselves hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned.”
‘Lone Survivor’ Is Having a Resurgence on Netflix
Universal Pictures
Lone Survivor was a hit in cinemas and was noted among the National Board of Review’s top 10 films of the year, and landed two Oscar nominations. Made on a budget of just $40 million, the film grossed $154.8 million worldwide, making it a box office success.
The film also scored incredibly well in its reviews. The critics’ score of 75% was good, but the 87% from audiences was even better. In both sets of reviews, the “dark display of the brutal realities of war” was praised, with “a lack of character development” being the only thing that slightly lets it down. For the majority, though, Lone Survivor is “an action-packed descent into the emotional and mental damage of witnessing your friends die in war,” which makes it “the best war movie ever” according to most five-star reviews.
One small gripe that does come up in several reviews, though, is the title of the movie itself. As Alfie M wrote in his review:
“I did like Lone Survivor but the decision to spoil the entire f-cking film in the title is outrageous and was an absurd choice”
In the end though, Lone Survivor is a movie where the journey is much more important than the outcome in terms of the story, as feeling what the characters are going through and the emotional toll the events of the film take on them. Now, millions are once again discovering this gem of a movie on Netflix, bringing it back to the attention of audiences in a world where lessons have not been learned and war always seems to be lurking just around the corner.