The film details "Operation Red Wings," a mission during the War in Afghanistan where a four-man SEAL team was tasked to capture or eliminate Taliban leader Ahman Shah. Lone Survivor beings with standard setup material where we're introduced to Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg), Michael Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch), Matt "Axe" Anderson (Ben Foster), and Lieutenant Commander Erik Kristensen (Eric Bana). The SEALs crack jokes and put a newcomer Petty Officer through a mild hazing ritual. After that, it's on to the mission, where two problems quickly arise: (A) their radio and phone equipment works intermittently in the mountainous terrain, and (B) a trio of goat herders stumble upon their sniping positions. The mission is compromised and the SEALS have a decision to make: either let these three bystanders go and risk having the Taliban alerted to an American presence or kill them and continue onward. They opt for the former, and predictably, all hell breaks loose.
Suspense is limited in Lone Survivor, especially since the title functions as its own spoiler. But that matters little when the proceedings are as intense and well-paced as they are here. The ordeal these four SEALS face, including shootouts with Taliban soldiers, leaps and tumbles down jagged, rocky terrain, and a failed rescue attempt from a helicopter, are filmed with just the right mix of static and hand-held shots. No need to worry about the dreaded shaky-cam editing here. Berg also spares nothing when it comes to graphic bloodshed. For me, the most difficult scenes to watch in any war film don't involve the spurting of blood when men take bullets to the head or torso. Instead, it's the unflinching look at gaping wounds and dismemberment. Lone Survivor contains numerous depictions of this (including one where Luttrell graphically removes shrapnel from his leg), so it's safe to say that while this is a rewarding journey to take, it might not be a film for the squeamish.
One of the common pitfalls of a military-themed movie is that too many of the characters seem to blend together. Berg doesn't entirely escape that trap here; indeed, three out of the four main characters here don't display enough personality to rise above generic territory. The exception, of course, is Luttrell, mainly because Mark Wahlberg always displays a formidable presence in any film. Two standout scenes give the actors a chance to shine. One involves the moral quagmire the SEALS find themselves in with the goat herders. They sharply differ about how to handle it, and each man makes a compelling point. The other is an extended sequence depicting Luttrell's "stay" at a remote Afghan village. It's very strong stuff, perfectly encapsulating Lutrell's frustration with a situation where people want to help a wounded man (even if he is "the enemy") yet barely know a lick of English.
Lone Survivor is an intense, harrowing account of a military man's fight for survival when all goes wrong, and it's nearly as effective with the wartime setting as Gravity is with space and All is Lost is with the open sea. However, it's possible to argue that Berg might have overplayed the "tribute" angle just a wee bit. Two lengthy real-life montages, one at the beginning and one at the end and complete with voice-overs and a soulful guitar soundtrack, drag on a little longer than necessary. This is an inherently enthralling story; the filmmakers didn't have to hammer home the "inspiring true story" message so much. That's already implicit in every frame. Still, these manipulative little asides are missteps I can easily live with. It's all about the material in between that makes Lone Survivor a worthwhile experience at the movies and fitting justice to Marcus Luttrell's story.
Rating: *** (out of ****)
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