Strong aspects make up for the weak ones in this action/war film

Rating: 7/10 (28 May 2017)

A unit of four navy seals are staked out on a hill overlooking an Afgan village that they are supposed to lock down. They are spotted by a wandering sheep herder, and are forced to take him hostage. This leads to a well written and acted sequence wherein the four of them fight over whether of not to let him go for fear that he may turn pigeon. They make the best decision they can, but in the end they do get ambushed by the Taliban and have to fight for their lives while fleeing down the mountain until they can get their comms back up
I liked Lone Survivor as action-driven (rather than an insight driven) war film. Like Randall Wallace's We Were Soldiers, war in this film is most a context for a bloody struggle for survival.
Peter Berg does a good job of staging some intense firefights. Hiding behind the cover of trees, as the golden sun creeps through, Berg toys with our sense of distance as the enemy closes in.
Once the bullets start flying, The film really showcases the characters' stamina as they take on more bruises and bullet wounds with each passing minute. And then there is an especially memorable moment where they take a long tumble down a rocky slope accompanied by a crunching sound mix that highlights the force of impact so well that you will probably flinch. As compelling as the fight scene are, they go on a bit too long.
Mark Walberg commands the screen well, but I was more excited about seeing the usually wooden Taylor Kitch finally give a good film performance.
The last act of the movie involves Walberg hiding in the home of an Afghan rebel and his son . These scenes are not as good as the rest because they bring some Afghan politics into the picture but fail to explain them well. Then there is a forced and silly moment where the son gives Walhberg a hug before he hops on a chopper to begin the long trip home.
Peter Berg has a ways to go as a dramatic storyteller, but I think it's safe to say that this may be his best film yet