Gripping action with messy morals....

Rating: 7/10 (11 January 2014)

Lone Survivor claims it's based on a true story, though to what extent I'm not sure. I doubt that these four Navy SEALS engaged in combat like you would in a CoD game, in that they only need to rest in cover for a few seconds after being shot then they're fine. Lone Survivor is also rather messy moralistically as well, as it doesn't seem to have a clear message on war. One of my favourite scenes in the movie was one where soldiers debate what to do with some Afghan kids they've captured. I thought this scene would serve as a basis for more complex developments on the morality of war, but alas no, as Lone Survivor feels like a movie that doesn't know what it's trying to say.
However, the movie is still well made. The action is very well directed and incredibly tense, there's one scene where the soldiers are falling down a mountain and I have no idea whatsoever how they filmed it, it was incredibly well done. The acting is excellent as well, with Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Ben Foster and Emile Hirsch all giving excellent performances, however I found myself not caring so much about anyone other than Mark Wahlberg because I knew what their fate would be due to the title of the movie and the posters which all have Mark Wahlberg front and centre, so it's not exactly hard to guess who will be the lone survivor.
I was glad the movie didn't show the belief that all Afghans are Taliban members that will try to kill you instantly. For a good portion of the movie I thought it was going down this road but was glad to see that towards the end it turned around. However, message wise that's the one of the only things I thought was done well. Is it worth watching? I would still say so because it's enjoyable enough, but don't expect a complex social commentary on war.