January 10th, 2014 
Justin Proper 
Film: Lone Survivor
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch
Director: Peter Berg
Writers: Peter Berg, Marcus Luttrell, Patrick Robinson
Peter Berg is a bit of a mystery. On one hand he will direct a great film like Friday Night Lights. That film was a moving story about a side of high school football that a lot of people were unaware of. On the other hand he will make a Battleship or Hancock. Those movies are standard Hollywood filler and are easily forgotten and routinely criticized. Now his newest film, Lone Survivor, is here and it is far closer to Friday Night Lights than Battleship.
Lone Survivor is based on a true story. Not inspired by, but actually based on (and evidently very close to) real life events. The titular lone survivor of the group of real life Navy SEALs worked closely with Berg and Mark Wahlberg (who played him in the film) to ensure that the film was as close to the actual events as possible. The plot is based around four SEALs that are stuck in an enemy zone after their mission is compromised. As you may have gathered, only one ends up surviving, but it is not the destination that is the story but the journey to it.
This film has a lot going for it. It is not a stretch to call it one of the best modern war films of the last 20 years, as it is easily on par with films like Black Hawk Down. It portrays the realness and grit of war in a visceral manner which may be a bit much for some, but guess what… War is not pretty. People die and it is bloody. That is just how it is. The action sequences feel rough and raw, not stylized or glorified in any extra way (except for a few occasions, which will be discussed later) All of this is set against a wonderfully emotional score performed by Explosions In The Sky (the same band that did the music for Friday Night Lights).
The best aspect of Lone Survivor, without question, is Mark Wahlberg. His unique action star fits perfectly as a Navy SEAL. He brings an everyman vibe to the role instead of an over the top hero which emphasized the realness of the film. Wahlberg also manages to blend small bits of real life humor amongst the horror that surrounds him. Nervous quips or reactions are used sparingly throughout the film which would seem out of place if delivered by a lesser actor.
Lone Survivor was not perfect, however. There are a few moments that end up being far to cliched or overdone that do not fit in with the rest of the story. Specifically there is a scene where the SEALs actually jump off a cliff in slow motion while an explosion happens behind them. Whether it really happened or not is moot, it was still presented in an almost cartoonish manner. My only other complaint was that while the characters had back story and bonding moments it still seemed like a missed opportunity to really show a bond that would elicit an emotional reaction. It was sad when they were killed off but it was not nearly the emotional moment it could have been if we had spent a little longer learning about the characters and their bond.
Overall Lone Survivor is a great war film. It takes a real life story and keeps it gritty and real. It may be over the top once or twice but Mark Wahlberg’s superb acting and the killer score by Explosions In The Sky more than make up for it. You would be making a mistake if you have any interest in what really went on overseas and you do not see this film. I do not usually enjoy war films and I would still watch this one again in a heartbeat.
Score: A-
Review written by: Justin Proper
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