A superb film that leaves a lasting impression

Rating: 9/10 (10 January 2015)

Lone Survivor tells the true story of Marcus Luttrell and his team of Navy Seals who are sent to Afghanistan in order to capture notorious Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. Marcus and his team have orchestrated a carefully co-ordinated plan to capture Shah, but the Taliban manage to find Marcus and his team before they can fully co-ordinate their effort. The situation is exacerbated for the Navy SEALS due to a breakdown in their communications systems meaning that Marcus and his team are forced to fight the Taliban against impossible odds whilst also being isolated from their airbase.
This film is impressive in many ways and the first thing I liked about this film is its no nonsense approach - we don't have a long drawn out introduction before the SEALS are drawn into battle. There's a short section showing their training and there are a few early snippets of some of the SEALS contacting their loved ones in order to establish an emotive core. I do feel the writers used their time wisely in this film and did enough to cover all the bases without appearing to ramble.
A good example of this is the scene between Murphy and Luttrell where they're discussing Murphy's wedding plans and Murphy's wife wanting him to buy her horse. These exchanges are amusing, but on the surface they seem irrelevant. Even though these exchanges seem pointless, it's actually a good piece of writing because it not only shows the bond and friendship that exists between the men, but it also gives us a reason to care for the characters. Although they risk their lives every day, they show that they have so much to live for. I thought that this was an excellent way to establish an emotive core.
Another strength with this film lies with the acting; Wahlberg has been disappointing in a few films recently, but in this film he really impresses. Whether he was sharing jokes with his platoon or in the midst of battle he was solid all the way through and this is probably the best performance I've seen from him in a long time. The rest of the cast are OK, but Wahlberg is the one that really shines. Lone Survivor is also fast paced and rarely allows you to pause for breath, the action sequences are exciting (although inevitably there are a few OTT Hollywood moments, but that's only a very minor criticism). I honestly can't think of a single moment that felt like it was wasted in this film.
Probably one of the biggest strengths with this film is the way that Berg & Luttrell make a clear point of showing that not everyone in Afghanistan was a member of the Taliban - the peaceful tribe known as Pashtunwali actually helped to protect Luttrell from the Taliban. It's clear that Berg & Luttrell weren't creating a piece of propaganda, but merely providing the audience with a balanced account of the events that took place. This was a virtually flawless film that I won't forget about in a hurry.