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Mark Wahlberg’s Powerful & Gripping Action Drama

‘Lone Survivor’ Is a Poignant Must-Watch According to One Veteran

When it comes to recreating real-life harrowing and dangerous missions carried out by the brave men and women who have served in the United States armed forces on the silver screen, veterans are undeniably the toughest and most unforgiving critics of such films. Accurately capturing the determination, anguish, and unfathomable sacrifices and horrors these courageous heroes witnessed on the battlefield is no easy feat, and in 2013, director Peter Berg delivered a poignant and powerful action war drama with Lone Survivor, doing so with the help of go-to Hollywood leading man Mark Wahlberg.
The thought-provoking picture chronicles the unsuccessful United States Navy SEAL reconnaissance and mission Operation Red Wings, which was carried out by a four-man team in 2005 to either capture or kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shah and resulted in the tragic deaths of all but one Navy SEAL. Lone Survivor became both a critical and commercial triumph and even garnered appreciation from real veterans, with its accurate look at modern warfare and realistic execution earning specific praise; let’s take a closer look at the acclaimed war drama.

Lone Survivor

Release Date

December 25, 2013

Runtime

121 minutes

Stream

Mark Wahlberg’s Powerful & Gripping Action Drama

Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Deepwater Horizon) enlisted the talents of Academy Award-nominee Mark Wahlberg to help tell the powerful true story of the ill-fated 2005 military mission Operation Red Wings, a counter-insurgent United States Navy SEAL task force that was assigned to hunt down and eliminate Taliban leader Ahmad Shah, with the four-man SEAL reconnaissance being carried out by the courageous Marcus Luttrell (Wahlberg), Michael Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch), and Matthew Axelson (Ben Foster).

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When attempting to carry out the high-stakes mission, the men find themselves dangerously outnumbered and outgunned in enemy territory while also coping with the unforgiving mountainous terrain, leading to an explosive and deadly showdown that became one of the most noble efforts in modern warfare. After his SEAL team and comrades are devastatingly killed by Taliban fighters during the brutal battle, the battered and heavily wounded Luttrell is shown compassion by local Pashtun Mohammed Gulab (Ali Suliman), who risked his life along with his fellow villagers to help Luttrell get safely to the nearest American base.
‘Lone Survivor’ Is a Poignant Must-Watch According to One Veteran

The studio and director Peter Berg collaborated with the real-life Marcus Luttrell to help create the poignant and moving war drama, with the decorated United States Navy SEAL even making multiple uncredited cameo appearances in the pulse-pounding adaptation of his book. Lone Survivor made its debut on December 25, 2013, garnering widespread praise and appreciation from audiences and critics alike for its profound realism, commanding performances, and thrilling action sequences and storyline. Chris Marvin is a retired U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot who believes it “should be a civic obligation” to watch Lone Survivor at least once (via Parade).

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Shortly after the compelling film landed in theaters, the veteran penned a powerful review of Lone Survivor and declared it a “spectacularly well-executed film, with images and details that take me back to my own service in the same part of Afghanistan” before pointing out that what makes the engrossing picture so special is “the accurate and detailed depiction of modern warfare.” Marvin acknowledged that though not every aspect and detail of Lone Survivor was 100% correct, an Afghanistan veteran would have a hard time identifying an egregious mistake. The former helicopter pilot felt the film properly depicted the harrowing Operation Red Wings, writing:

“Mr. Berg goes to great lengths to ensure that the viewer understands that the film depicts a true story. As a result, the film is graphic. Moviegoers may want to look away. Resist that urge. This is not fiction…Veterans of Afghanistan will be impressed with what Mr. Berg and his team have done. And Americans should leave the theater awestruck, educated and inspired.”

Lone Survivor became both a critical and commercial triumph, grossing over $154 million against a $40 million budget while earning two Academy Award nominations and winning Best Action Film and Best Actor in an Action Movie (Wahlberg) at the Critics’ Choice Awards. The enthralling drama was also selected by the National Board of Review as one of the top 10 films of the year and currently holds a solid 75% Rotten Tomatoes score and an even better 87% Popcornmeter given by audiences. Wahlberg was deeply moved by the impact and heart of the harrowing hit, having said of the meaningful experience filming Lone Survivor:

“What makes this story so special is the bond and the camaraderie between the guys, but also the state of where we are in the world today. The act of heroism by Gulab and his fellow villagers moved me the most. I found it so inspiring, and it gave me so much hope for the world.”

Lone Survivor is available to buy or rent on Prime Video.