Operation: 12 Strong

This time, Vinnetou and Old Shatterhand fight together against evil tribes far away in Afghanistan, supported by spectacular, visually elaborate Bruckheimer-like effects. At times a parody, at times a poorly made war film. If it's really based on a true story, then it deserves a much more raw, believable treatment. (21.04.2018)

For those who have no clue about the realism of the story, they might immediately label the film with a Boo! rating (I would have been among them). However, according to experts, the film is considered one of the most credibly made based on a true event. The cast is quite decent; at first, I didn’t believe Hemsworth in his role, as I kept seeing Thor in him, but over time I got used to him (his gritty and deep voice definitely helps with the credibility of his role as a military captain). I liked that the film also addresses the local general and his motivation against the Taliban, striving to portray his vastly different nature and the harsh life in Afghanistan. The combat scenes are high-quality; even Michael Bay would have to give a thumbs up for the monstrous explosions. It’s almost surprising that all twelve characters survived; those attacks on horseback against tanks and infantry could almost be seen as a clear suicide, but with a good dose of luck and the help of local warriors, they managed to achieve the incredible feat of staying alive. It had some script shortcomings and overly sentimental scenes, but overall it resulted in a decent war film. I give it 73%. (05.08.2018)

At first, I didn't understand who came up with making a film about September 11th again, when so many have already been made and everything has probably already been told. However, the campaign worked with the trump card in the form of Chris Hemsworth, so I thought to myself that I would probably see it, but I wouldn't expect too much from it. Which was more or less confirmed. 12 Strong will probably quickly fade away, as it didn't make a big splash even in America, where the boom should logically be the largest, and if any of the producers were also aiming for Oscars, it didn't pay off brutally. If I had to mention one "thing" that really intrigued me about the film, it's surprisingly Michael Shannon, whom I've seen in quite a few movies so far and I know he's very popular among audiences, but he really convinced me here. It's weird that he serves a younger captain, but when I realize that captain is Thor and someone obviously has to heroically yell, it doesn't seem that strange to me after all. And if I had to mention any negatives, it would definitely be the action approach, which turned into a mindless celebration of heroism, with soldiers literally mowing down one standing figurine after another, and it may not even resonate with a person with a strong patriotic heart. A harmless appetizer that probably won't catch the attention of many people even in the box office. (24.04.2018)

This year's second visit to the cinema. Another modern war flick set in Afghanistan, where a 12-strong group of soldiers are tasked with taking down the Taliban with the help of an Afghan warlord. In terms of the cast, the film is packed: Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, and for a debut it has very solidly executed action scenes, with explosions like Michael Bay, plenty of rawness and the combination of horses with M4s against tanks has something going for it. I'm not as intense as 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, but still a decent affair that I enjoyed in the cinema. 75% (30.01.2018)

Thor and General Zod on horseback against the Taliban. A well-made, textbook example of a movie, but nothing more. No personal angle. In his debut, Fuglsig offers nothing extra. It’s simply glorification of the American way of making war (let’s drop bombs no them). But the horse vs. tank action scenes are well-made and raw. Just a shame that we don’t learn much about the Uzbek general. (19.02.2020)