I'm a big fan of Mark Walberg and feel he often gets shafted for his acting career because of the "fluff" he had for jobs when he started his career. The bad low comedy movies he does from time to time doesn't help matters. But when you see him in a role like this one you are reminded of what an amazing actor he actually is.
The film centers around 4 Navy Seals who are dropped into Afghanistan for a mission to identify the location of an al Qaeda leader that has taken over this one small village. The villagers are not happy about this take over either and that saves our Lone Survivor in the end. This is a true story so that isn't a spoiler. Neither is the fact that Walberg's character is the only one to survive this mission.
Part of the time you are waiting, basically, to find out how the other 3 die but what you get along the way is the opportunity to get to know these guys as people and not just supporting actors to Walberg's survivor. They are all base and heroic in their own ways. The movie shows three things very clearly. That their training is why there was a survivor at all, that not all citizens of those war torn countries support the rebels who are causing the violence and that war isn't ever anything that someone should desire. It's a nightmare. A living nightmare. The performances of Walberg, as Marcus Lutrelle, Taylor Kitsch (of John Carter fame) as Michael Murphy, Emile Hirsch (of the recent tv mini series Bonnie and Clyde) as Danny Dietz and Ben Foster (of Six Feet Under) as Matt Axelson, as well as the performances of the villager who steps in and the little boy who helps him, Ali Sulaman and Rohan Chand, that helps you to see the film in a bigger picture sort of way. The supporting cast is amazing as well and includes Eric Bana, Alexander Ludwig, and Peter Berg who wrote the screenplay from the book as well as directed. Berg also produced this film along with some big names like Matt Damon and Mark Walberg. Quality all of the way.
Warning here...this is for older teens and adults only. It's war. Truly represented with all of the violence and gore and ruthlessness that is war. There were times I had to look away and I was very thankful that the beheadings were not replicated for the film. Think Full Metal Jacket and Platoon when you think of the violence represented here. Also think of them when you consider the quality of this film.
I give this a 9 out of 10 and will tell you to stay for the credits where the real soldiers are honored in a montage. It's beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time.
Barbara Says:
The one thing going through my head was ``Why do so many men think war is so great''. Lone Survivor is a movie that is hard to watch and if you cannot stand violence then do not see this movie. But since it is a true story and these things happened (and are still happening) you must face the truth of it. Mark Walberg is one of Hollywood's under-valued actors. He can be so funny and sooooo serious. He can make you feel this mans pain and horror at what is happening to him and his friends. This film shows that not all people are the same. That some retain the decent morals they learned and follow them. I am not just talking about the Seals but the men in the village that saved his life at the cost of their own. They stood up to the bullies that would sweep their lives away into the Abyss. Have you noticed I am not naming any one country? Because this goes for so many countries that are destroying themselves from within by true believer killing another true believer because they believe differently. Americans, see your self here in a few years if we cannot come together and help each other just because we are human beings. That is what the people of this village did. Each one of these Seals did what they were trained to do and I, for one, thought they made the wrong choice on that mountain top. Not saying to kill certain people but to keep them from running down the mountain to relay info that resulted in their deaths. How this man lived with what he went through, I have no idea. But so hope he has come to the knowledge that when you cannot change something you must except it and move on to make the best of your life because you were the Lone Survivor. I give it an 8 out of 10.
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