A Searing (Non-Political) Portrayal of a Highly Politicized Tragedy

Rating: 8/10 (12 June 2016)

Michael Bay did a top notch job of showing the horror and intensity of the Benghazi attacks, while being objective and accurate on the unfolding of the actual events.
It's too bad he didn't include an A-list star because more people would have been drawn to see the movie, a la American Sniper -- and it's definitely a movie worth seeing. He purposely wanted no stars, thinking it would be a distraction. I disagree, because I'm sure many viewers (like me) assumed it was a lower budget, B-type movie, because of the lack of star power, and stayed away. It certainly wasn't.
Some of the revelations regarding the U.S. Government's lack of assistance to the brave heroes who fought in the battle -- and lack of the provision of security pre-battle -- were shocking and puzzling. Bay had the courage to factually lay out these issues, but wisely left politics out of it, to let the viewer decide.
Bay also provides an interesting window into the mindset of highly-trained U.S. military men, who should be applauded and thanked. It's hard for civilians to understand their psyche, but this movie helps.
13 Hours is one of the most realistic movies ever made about the savagery of modern-day military battle. It is also very pertinent to the 2016 presidential election. It should be seen by all who plan on voting. Draw your own conclusions -- but hold onto your seat.