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“12 Strong,” tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban.
At a time when the nation is so divided in almost every aspect of civility, it is reassuring to witness the day of reckoning that came as a result of the Green Beret special forces team that completed the secret Afghanistan mission post 9/11, which is considered one of greatest battles of their time. Based on Doug Stanton’s 2009 book ‘Horse Soldiers,’ Jerry Bruckheimer has produced a declassified true story of the twelve American Soldiers, led by Major Mark Nutsch, who worked with an Afghan Warlord to take down the Taliban and liberate Mazar-i-Shari, the country’s 4th largest city.
The foundation of the story centers around Major Nutsch (Chris Hemsworth) who had just turned in his retirement papers based on the need to devote more time to his family. The team that he had previously led, had with much skepticism, dissipated and were no longer an entity. After being rejected by the powers that be, to allow him this one last mission, Nutsch had to beg his former superior to get him back in the game so he could take the lead and handle the business at hand. Once given the proper blessing, Nutsch re-enacted his team with a promise that the mission would be completed in three weeks.
As the soldiers undertook the mission, the many relationships that were formed taught the team the premise behind battles within the heart and battles over territory. The role of the horses which had to be used instead of tanks due to the goat trails of the rugged terrain was a redeeming reminder of the basic need to use the most valuable resources in order to attack the enemy and gain ground. The power struggles that went on internally and externally always served as a reminder to view another perspective and accept its life or death consequences.
Director Nicolai Fuglsig and Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of “Armageddon,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Top Gun,” and more amazing films, have done an outstanding job of cinematography and scenery, while deserving kudos for assembling a crew of actors who individually and collectively couldn’t have made a more exciting and diverse team of soldiers and formidable men who supported one another through thick and thin. Chris Hemsworth (Capt. Mitch Nielsen), known for his ruggedly charming role as “Thor,” did an incredible job as a leader who was able to recognize his own strengths and weaknesses while not losing sight of the mission’s goals. Michael Shannon (Hal Spencer), Michael Peña (Sam Diller), Navid Negahban (General Dostum) and Trevante Rhodes (Ben Milo), were no less incredible as individuals whose character flaws made them both vulnerable and strong, and inevitably complementary to one another throughout their toughest battles.
For lovers of war stories, this is definitely one for the books, however, anyone can learn from the amazing examples of brotherhood and conflict resolution they displayed throughout the entirety of this film. These soldiers were amazing, and even several years later, they deserve every bit of recognition for the bravery, exemplary skill and overwhelming resilience displayed in carrying out the secret mission from beginning to end.
Available on Blu-ray Combo Pack & DVD Tuesday, May 1st
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