I saw Michael Bay’s latest film and I did not hate it. Choosing to leave aside key political considerations – the timing of this film depicting controversial events that have dogged a frontrunning presidential candidate and its accuracy in doing so – helps, with the results being predictably jingoistic, but still an intense watch. Yes, it’s basically a big screen Call of Duty once the gunplay commences, as a few highly-skilled and heavily-armed US military contractors do their utmost to repel waves of Islamic militants during one night in chaotic post-Gaddafi Libya.
We’ve seen plenty of bearded manly men toting guns before, though Bay’s aided by the fellows behind the whiskers, chiefly John Krasinski (TV’s The Office) as a muscled audience surrogate new to Benghazi and James Badge Dale (Iron Man 3) as an old pal on the same detail who can show him around. It doesn’t take long for the pair to find themselves in a sticky situation which speaks to the constant uncertainty and danger these armed, unwelcome, foreigners find themselves in, and that’s even before any locals have been sawn in half by heavy machine gun fire.
Yes, that happens, as well as grotesque injuries to heads, torsos, and limbs. Maybe especially limbs, actually. Bay would probably claim he’s not out to glamourise the high body count carnage, but I would expect as many “woops” from young men as winces from other audience members. Both groups may find themselves holding their breath for extended periods (as I did) during the kinetic, frantic, and anxious final act – Bay’s lack of subtlety and love of bombast serving the film surprisingly well, even without Megan Fox’s posterior in sight. Oh, there are still American flags in slow-mo though. I mean, come on.
’13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi’ Movie Times
Other US Army Thrillers: American Sniper, Saving Private Ryan, Lone Survivor
