Mark Wahlberg plays former Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell in the greatest military movie of all time. Lone Survivor is the true story of Seal Team 10 as they conduct “Operation Redwing” high in the Afghani mountains. As the title suggests Marcus Luttrell is now the only survivor of Operation Redwing. His story is told through beautiful cinematography and incredible acting. It is a masterful film that shows us that war is in no way glamorous.
The story of Lone Survivor is that of Marcus Luttrell and his squad mates. Their mission is to recon the last known location of a Taliban leader who killed 20 marines the previous week so that the rest of Operation Redwing will know when and where to strike. When they arrive at the last known location of the Taliban fighters, they realize they are in over their heads. They begin their ascent of the mountains that encircle the village, but before they can make it halfway up, they are discovered by some shepherds from the village. Marcus and his squad mates must decide whether to let them go and warn the Taliban of their presence, kill them and face the backlash from the media, or tie them up and let the wolves get them. The choice they make then leads to the most intense, pulse-pounding, visually stunning and action-packed movie of this generation. The stunts and effects in this film are phenomenal. The only way you will be able to tell that you are not out in the middle of the Afghan Mountains is the fact that you don’t smell the burning shrubs and sulfur.
I must warn you though. This film does not skimp on gore. There’s nothing too over the top, but nothing is done to protect the viewer from the true grit of war. There will be scenes that will make even the least-sensitive person cringe. With coarse language, graphic images and intense action, this movie will put you right into the thick of it. War is no playground.