When thinking of
directors with enough talent to tell the story of the Benghazi attack in 2012,
Michael Bay is certainly not the first name that jumps out. The director of
such masterpieces as Pearl Harbor and all four Transformers movies (that was sarcastic
for the record), Bay is not the go to when telling such a recent and grueling
true story. But when it boils down to it, Bay crafts a pretty decent film and
placing it among one of his personal bests.
The story follows
the struggle of six men of the Annex Security Team, who were brave enough to
defend the U.S. consulate in Benghazi despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered
Islamic militants. The 13 hours from the start of the attack to the end are a
never-ending duel between the American soldiers and the evils lurking in the
shadow of night.
It’s clear from the
start that the believability of the actors as soldiers and warriors is
extremely important. And every role down the line completely nails this
necessary aspect. Two performances in particular stand out above the rest in
John Krasinski and James Badge Dale.
Krasinski is
absolutely fantastic and proves that he deserves more attention in Hollywood.
His role as the veteran soldier is meaty enough for the actor to show off his
range of emotions as well as his capabilities in the action department. On the
other hand is James Badge Dale. The role of leader ultimately falls on his
shoulders and he plays it so well. The screen presence he possesses throughout
the film provides a central anchor point for the entire crew.
Of course being a
Michael Bay film, there are certain Bay-isms one comes to expect. While he may
have crafted a respectable film and gotten great performances, he still manages
to throw in an absurd amount of explosions (or fireworks) and include so many
camera angles that have become associated with his movies. But he must be
commended for leaving the politics out of the film entirely, instead letting
the story focus on the worst night for these men.
It’s hard to judge
anything regarding story when something is based in real life. While the story
itself may be true, the execution can be criticized. The runtime is way too
long thus creating pacing issues throughout. The first hour or so drags through
a lot of buildup before the final action begins and then it’s relentless until
the end. It’s not awful once the battle begins to ramp up, but until then the
story moves extremely slow.
Overall, 13 Hours:
The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is a surprisingly good movie. Mind you it isn’t
great but the amount of respect and time that Bay appears to have taken with
this story has to be complimented. The performances are solid and the story
certainly deserves to be told. There are some pacing issues, the runtime is too
long, and Bay still throws in some of his old favorites, but there is enough
good to outweigh the bad in this case. (6.5/10)
So what did you think of 13 Hours? Have you seen it and how does it rank among the rest of Bay's films? Share, comment below, and as always return back to I Am Sam for weekly reviews.
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