13 Hours

Plot synopsis:
The opening text states that there were over 200 American outposts in Libya until 2012. Following the 2011 civil war, the deposition and execution of dictator Muammar Gaddafi, Benghazi became one of the most violent places in the world, forcing the United States to pull their outposts out of there, all except for one called The Annex, which is protected by a team of CIA contractors, the Global Response Staff (G.R.S.).Jack Silva (John Krasinski) arrives in Benghazi and is picked up by his best friend/fellow contractor Tyrone "Rone" Woods (James Badge Dale). The two are stopped in the streets by a group of militants. Rone contacts their Chief (David Costabile) to bring in the rest of the team for help, but the Chief refuses. The militant leader orders the two to pull over their vehicle for inspection. Jack and Rone pull out their guns for defense, and Rone tells the leader that there is a drone circling them and will get him and his family if they do anything to him and Jack. The two are allowed to leave.At the CIA safehouse called The Annex, Rone confronts the Chief over not letting the team go in. The Chief reminds Rone not to engage civilians and avoid conflict with the militants. Jack meets the rest of the team - Kris "Tanto" Paronto (Pablo Schreiber), Dave "Boon" Benton (David Denman), John "Tig" Tiegen (Dominic Fumusa), and Mark "Oz" Geist (Max Martini).Jack goes on a brief task with two undercover CIA officers - Sona Jillani (Alexia Barlier) and Brit Vayner (Freddie Stroma). The rest of G.R.S. is nearby for protection. Rone spots a couple of suspicious men and gets out of the car, compromising his position. Jack is alerted and gets Sona and Brit out of there.The team is brought to the Special Mission compound where the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens (Matt Letscher) is staying. They meet other guards, Dave Ubben (Demetrius Gross) and Scott Wickland (David Giuntoli), and become familiar with the location.On the morning of September 11, 2012, Stevens notices some dubious men around the compound taking pictures, prompting him to notify his security detail. Meanwhile at The Annex, the team contacts their families. Jack talks to his wife Becky (Wrenn Schmidt) and their daughters. One of the girls spills the beans to Jack that Becky is pregnant with their third child.That night, a large team of militants storm the compound and attack as the Libyan guards on the outside surrender. The militants fire off shots and invade the compound as Wickland takes Stevens and Sean Smith (Christopher Dungli) into the panic room. Knowing they can't break in there, the militants begin pouring diesel fuel all over the floor to burn the men out. The fire is lit, bringing heavy smoke into the panic room. Wickland makes it out but ends up losing Stevens and Smith. The men at The Annex are informed of the attack and want to head out to help, but the Chief refuses to send them out for fear that The Annex will be defenseless. The team disregards their orders and heads over to Special Mission. After arriving, Jack and Rone find Smith dead from smoke inhalation. The team heads back to The Annex but are pursued by the militants with RPG's and AK's. The men fire back against the militants.Fearing retaliation, the CIA officers attempt to contact the nearest airbases to aid in an strike against the militants. They are able to contact Glen "Bub" Doherty (Toby Stephens), a G.R.S. officer in Tripoli that rounds up his own team and heads down to Benghazi to help.More militants head toward The Annex and continue their attack against the Americans. The team fires back and continues to defend the compound, despite coming under heavy fire. The militants fall back and try to regroup, as does the team. Glen and his team arrive to help. The team is contacted to learn that Stevens' body was found, and that he died of smoke inhalation.The Annex is contacted and told that more help is on the way. Soon, the militants return and launch a mortar strike against The Annex. Rone gets hit and is killed, as is Glen moments later. Oz is wounded and has his left arm mangled. Jack finds Rone's body and weeps for his best friend.As dawn arrives, the team is left vulnerable. A large convoy of vehicles head toward The Annex. Tanto has his gun aimed at a couple of men from the vehicles, but he gets a signal from them that they are there to help the team. Tanto cries with relief. These men from the Libyan army gather the Americans and bring them to an airfield. The bodies of Stevens, Smith, Rone, and Glen are recovered and taken. The Chief chooses not to get on the plane back home until Jack confronts him and orders him to after reminding him he is partially responsible for some of the lives lost in the attack.Before departing, Jack calls Becky to let her know he is okay. He breaks down crying when he tells her that Rone didn't make it. As the plane arrives, Jack uncovers Rone's body to look at him one last time.The ending text states that 28 Americans were rescued that day. Libya was declared a failed state and is now a stronghold for ISIS. Ten days after the attack, thousands of Libyan civilians gathered to mourn Ambassador Stevens. The Chief and surviving members of G.R.S. received medals in a private ceremony, and the men subsequently retired to be with their families.The final shot is of two stars on the wall of the CIA HQ for Rone and Glen.

Tags: anti war, suspenseful, comedy, murder, violence

Review:
The story is interesting and somewhat controversial and is a perfect idea for a movie, but it was directed by Michael Bay. For that reason I was expecting a lot of special effects and explosions and didn't think he was the director that should be in charge of this story.
I'm overwhelmed because no one could have known Bay had this movie in him as a director.This is a masterful film in almost every aspect and certainly in every way that truly matters.
Maybe the first act was a bit long as characters were established and maybe the over use of shaky cam early can be considered technical flaws but when a story is this well told and this well crafted, flaws like that fall quickly by the waste side.The movie draws you in and makes you feel like you were there on that fateful night.
This thrill riveting masterpiece not only captivated the lives of these six soldiers and the people trapped between this battle between the Libyan rebels, but Michael Bay did an excellent job with his use of guns and sound system that he always does so well.
(Revenant is based on a true event, but people and details have been added to enhance the drama.)So 13 Hours just presents what happens at Benghazi without directly dealing with all the political questions and squabbling.
Yet the movie made a strong political statement without ever making a direct political statement.For example, the CIA in Benghazi stayed in continual contact with the state department and the Pentagon regarding the events as they happened.
DOESN'T THE PRESIDENT CARE WE ARE UNDER ATTACK?"But because we in the audience have been placed in the compound with the soldiers and CIA, we are the ones asking those questions.During one of the brief scenes of the news being received at the Pentagon, Michael Bay included a cutaway shot of the White House.
BIG props to Michael Bay and his team, especially having the real men as close consultants on the film.
(*hypothermia) The insanity of what happened to those people, both Americans and Arabs was portrayed with compassion, humanity and leaves me wondering how this could have actually happened.Overall, a great film, raising more questions than answers.Reading more online about the events, and those after, makes it look like ugly politics.Still the film instills a sense of patriotism, American heroism and reaffirms that America is the greatest nation, and people in history..
Following in the footsteps of other January Released Modern War Flicks based on books (Lone Survivor and American Sniper), 13 Hours is thoroughly entertaining if I dare say the funniest of these films.
Which makes this film the perfect vehicle for Michael Bay to direct as it focuses on the action of the incident primarily.The film that I would make the greatest comparison to 13 Hours would naturally be Black Hawk Down (even referenced in this film), which to be honest is not a negative because Black Hawk Down is an amazing film.
Also, the movie makes no bones of the fact that the whole "protest over an anti-Islamic video" explanation was totally bogus, and our country, protected by true blue men and women willing to give their lives, is run by a bunch of jackasses.
Michael Bay has made some stinkers in recent years with the Transformers films, but this is a great return to good form and a big surprise.
Having read the book, been a former soldier, a U.S. Military History enthusiast, studied the history of terrorism, and also been personally attached to those in the DOD, I knew more information about this incident than most average Americans.Bay conveys the incident without political bias, but the film indirectly points the finger at the fault of silence, poor choice/policy making, cover ups, and serious mistakes made by the Obama administration, left wing media, and other figures in DC.
It draws you in along with the action, and the emotional performances.This is a film that ranks up with war film experiences like Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, The Hurt Locker, Act of Valor, Patriots Day, Lone Survivor, American Sniper, and Zero Dark Thirty.
One could talk a lot about the different aspects of this film: the action, the politics, military tactics, etc...but in the end what I thought was most compelling was that the individual soldiers voices were heard (I'm using the term "soldier" as a catchall here...there were former Marines and Navy personnel involved as well the former Army guys).
Any American fighting man who watches this will cringe...because these calls actually happened...and real Americans actually died...and if you've served this country in any capacity you will be angry sitting there and not being able to do anything.The film does a very good job of telling not only the primary story of the attacks through the eyes of those who fought it, but does a remarkable job of delivering the personalities of those men, and the struggles their families faced as well.
This movie is based on a true story about the attack on an American embassy and a secret CIA base in Benghazi, Libya, on the 9/11 anniversary in 2012.
What I liked most about this film was the fact that you felt just as lost as the soldiers and people in this movie.
It's a good movie with good action, and I hope he can start heading toward this direction on film making..
(Yes liberals, I went there)You wouldn't think the acting in a Michael Bay movie would be any good either, but I can't think of a single actor who didn't give a competent performance in this.
And kudos for going out of his way to remain politically neutral, although the story itself leaves the viewer with a lot of questions about our involvement in the Middle East -- regardless of the administration.However, other people already commented in detail on this aspect of the story, so I'll defer to the earlier reviews for that.What I do want to comment on is how films like this bring out outright partisanship among the critics.
However take away the cool to say "BAY is an explosives and CGI director" and you are left with a riveting look at a story that still resonates to American audiences.On a final note; not to get too political; I was impressed that a big budget Hollywood production did not try and persuade the audience in favor of a recent Presidential candidate.
The fact that 13,000+ users of a popular movie review site have given 13 Hours an 86% favorable rating while only 50% of the "Top Critic" reviews on the same site are positive highlights the fact that there is more to this film and viewer reaction to it than the objective merits of the screen writing, acting, directing, and cinematography that dramatize the events that occurred in Benghazi three years ago.
Depending on one's preconceived notions of what transpired in Libya (and in Washington) before, during, and after the attacks of September 11-12, 2012, the film is either a badly edited, misleading, jingoistic, paean to machismo, violence, and racism, with inadequate character development and misrepresentation of facts – or a moving and realistic docudrama, based on factual first person accounts by members of the unit who participated in the events - a heartfelt and well-crafted tribute to the courage and honor of a small group of skilled mercenaries whose heroic performance of duty in battle amid the fog of war was exemplary, despite ineffectual local CIA leadership and an off- site chain of command that was unresponsive to desperate requests for readily available special ops and tactical air support.The film is ultimately a litmus test of one's political orientation.
Maybe the balance of the movie involved some real substance, but the first bit was nothing but childish nonsense with some facts tossed in to make it easier to swallow.You've got a bunch of testosterone-addled clowns who each sports a beard; who give cute monosyllabic nicknames to each other as well as to everyone and everything they encounter; who have adorable wives, children, dogs back home; who work out; who play video games to demonstrate how relaxed they are in the dangerous environment; who use the f-word every two minutes so we know how tough they are; and who think they know everything there is to know about Libya from weeks spent inside American compounds surrounded by Americans.All the locals are portrayed as clownish, sinister, cowardly cartoon characters and the Americans involved above the rank of knuckle-draggers are either slaves to mindless protocol or buffoonish pie-in-the-sky Harvard or Yale dilettantes.I'm not sure which is more troubling, that this serious event has been reduced to this soap operatic cast of caricature-characters or that this portrayal remotely matches the actual people involved.
I was really looking forward to see that movie since it is based on the real life events of the Benghazi embassy attack.
I was pleasantly surprised.It was not to over the top, in terms of how the action was filmed and portrayed.It was a bit too long though.A side from a few close scares in the beginning,the first 40-45 minutes consist of the soldiers talking with their families on the phone.Which to me, got really really boring,really fast.
Maybe knowing the real life set up and cover up to these events helps elevate the appreciation of what hits the screen but the film holds up well even if a viewer is unaware of world affairs.
Maybe knowing the real life set up and cover up to these events helps elevate the appreciation of what hits the screen but the film holds up well even if a viewer is unaware of world affairs.
Even those who don't appreciate war or military action movies will appreciate this one and be angry at its conclusion.And it drives the message home loud and clear, a few good people with right motives will always accomplish more than any single government or bureaucracy ever can.
Director Michael Bay ("Transformers") rips reality from today's headlines presenting an in your face, behind-the-scenes look at the 2012 Benghazi attack in Libya that took the lives of US Ambassador Chris Stevens (Matt Letsher "Scandal") and Sean Smith, along with the lives of other US soldiers and many Libyan rebels.
After seeing this I have to review in 2 parts...As a movie it was sort of OK but full of clichés and with such a high testosterone content you could almost smell it...a fairly well directed movie slightly let down by some poor 2 dimensional acting...you could tell Bay has good special effect directorship but as yet needs to learn character direction.2nd part is the content...after reading up about the subject matter I was astonished at the ridiculous U.S propaganda rubbish..it almost bordered on obscene the way the " heroes" were all macho and well disciplined and all the " bad guys" were toothless idiots.I think the stereotyping has dragged this into the ridiculous and anybody feeling proud of this sort of " anti-everything-unAmerican" should feel rather ashamed.I also got the feeling it was about 30 minutes too long...it took an age to actually end.
13 Hours: The secret soldiers of Benghazi is a film that recounts the 2012 attack on Benghazi that feels a lot like a run of the mill Michael Bay film.Based off the book of the same name, The film recounts the events of September 11, 2012 when an American ambassador is killed by terrorists and a group of soldiers try to fight for their base.The direction of Michael Bay feels like his typical blockbuster approach and it seems to be more action than substance and the cast seem to do a mediocre job with clinched acting and dialogue, The one thing the film does very well is the brutality of the attack that really represents what really happened.Overall 13 hours would have been a lot better if the right director did the film but Michael Bay just doesn't seem like telling a real life event is his strong point.
The rest of that night involves a hard-fought and selfless struggle for survival by the 30+ Americans in that annex, trying to hold on until help arrives – IF it arrives.Some movies centered on the military amount to little more than jingoistic nonsense and some movies directed by Michael Bay seem to exist merely as a platform for impressive visuals and lots of noise, but neither of these descriptions fits "13 Hours".
Michael Bay makes a tremendous effort to show the world as it is, tell a remarkable story as it happened and use his skills and experience to make an excellent movie.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is a movie based on true events.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is a must watch, for everyone who loves a movie about real life heroes..
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is directed by Michael Bay and stars John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, James Badge Dale, and much more talented actors and actresses.
Yes it has a few Michael Bay things like slow-mo, big explosions but he did a good job of not over using them, only using when needed.
Overall 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi was a great movie with a great action and good story telling.
With January being the month of some of the biggest box office (and critical) slackers of the year, many would not expect to see high- budgeted movies; especially ones brought by Michael Bay who's films are often subject for summer releases.
However, instead of a two and a half-hour stretch of giant robots fighting head to head, Michael Bay takes a more mature direction in epic war adaption to Mitchell Zuckoff's novel based on the harrowing events on September 11, 2012, the night when the U.S compound in Benghazi, Libya was unexpectedly attacked by Islamic forces, which resulted in the death of the American Ambassador J.
Featuring extended scenes of loud, brutal combat with relentless gunfire, and of course abundance of explosions, the movie delivers a pack-punching depiction of soldiers' effort in active combat, to the point where you feel like you are the midst of the all the chaos; and these scenes are done not in a mindless, over-the-top way that Bay is often known for, but in a serious and authentic manner to make viewers feel the anguish of the characters.
13 Hours is an intense, powerful movie that brings out the best of Michael Bay. It is a film that not only sparkles with a strong direction, realistic depiction of the horrors of war, but also pays a well tribute to the soldiers out there who are sacrificing their lives to defend the freedom of our country.
13 Hours is the newest movie by Michael Bay, about the 6 U.S security fighters who were stranded in an American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, and had to defend themselves against waves of terrorist attacks.
I'm going to say that if this is a story you are interested in, it would not hurt to watch it, however, if this is not a story that interests you, stay away!The film is your typical Michael Bay movie, filled with enough explosions to leave your ears ringing, and camera cuts that made me nauseus.
I know that Bay is not a director famous for good character development, but I think that these characters should have been fleshed out more for the film to really have the effect it was aiming for.I also think that the constant camera cuts made it very hard to really understand what was going on, especially during the action scenes.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016) is a solid war film from infamous director Michael Bay. I don't love or hate Micheal Bay. I dislike a majority of the movies he puts out.
No. Does Michael Bay create an entertaining war film with some great action?
While this is certainly one of Michael Bay's best films, it still suffers from the same problems as his other movies do.'13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi' is entertaining, but it has more things going against it than for it..
Therefore I would like to sidestep the debate of the film's accuracy and instead focus on the movie as a piece of art.The story begins with Jack Silva (Krasinski) as our introduction to Benghazi just after the revolution.
A sigh of relief is in order as the film pays tribute to those who deserve it while still providing Bay the opportunity to blow stuff up, and display is always-annoying tendencies with a camera.The incredibly courageous soldiers, who comprised the CIA security team (GRS) of contractors that saved many lives, are the heroes of the story and heroes in real life.
11, 2012 when Four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, were Killed during a Militant Islamic Raid is still Unclear to this Day. You are Correct, and after Viewing ("This is a true story"), Michael Bay's Movie "13 Hours", it Still Remains Unclear.Nothing in this 2 1/2 Hour Film is Clear.
What Else it Gets Right is Up for Debate.As an Action Film and a War Movie it has what all Arm Chair Soldiers want.
The fact that the movie is based on a true story adds to the suspense and authenticity which is unmatched so far in any movie I have seen in 2016.If you like action packed war movies I would highly recommend watching 13 hours..
I mean, it is a good story and a real life event involving Benghazi soldiers and the death of an ambassador which could have translated well.
Overall, it's a solid action film, and Michael Bay does his thing well.
Michael Bay and Chuck Hogan did a great job in bringing this story to film.
In the end, for those who want to see this movie because it's a true story about 6 soldiers who courageously fought to protect American lives, in hostile Libya, this film won't disappoint.