'12 Strong' Movie review : It's a war of horsemen against tanks

Capt. Mitch Nelson (Chris Hemsworth) was on leave and little did he know that he would be back with his 11-member team to lead America's first of its kind operation, all this with no combat experience. This movie comes out 17 years after the 9/11 attack in the US, it's a story of the 21-day war fought against Taliban in which the US Special Force joins hands with Afghani warlord, General Dostum (Navid Negahban) post the terror attack in 2001. From the trailer one can clearly tell the movie lets its action speak for itself.

The Review

Can a warlord be trusted? Maybe, maybe not, but that doesn't stop the '12 Strong' men on a mission from gearing for an unplanned warfare.

Just like Capt Nelson said, "There's no playbook here. We have to write it ourselves."

The movie takes you through the barren stretches of Afghanistan, a sparring land that's unsparing. 'This will be fun' and the war begins on horsebacks. All that General Dostum tells them, is all that they know about the region. Gaining his trust continues to be their priority, the only plan the Forces had.

As you leave the theatre a few dialogues will follow you home as General Dostum is a man of wise words and sometimes his pain speaks out loud, "Every time you lose a man it's like a stab in your heart and my heart is butchered my friend."

Is Taliban compelled to surrender? 

The Verdict

The movie is a delight for Chris Hemsworth fans, as the main man makes it to most of the frames. While the 'Moonlight' star, Trevante Rhodes may have been slightly underused, but his scenes light up the screen which adds an emotional touch to the otherwise action-packed film. Rhodes screen presence makes for the highlights of the film. '12 Strong' is a feel-good movie putting out the story of the unsung heroes. And it's not all guns and bullets, there are a few emotional moments, light-hearted conversations that bind the story together.

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Trevante Rhodes, Michael Peña, Navid Negahban

Director: Nicolai Fuglsig

Rating: 3/5