The action war drama stars Mark Wahlberg in the lead and it’s being hailed by viewers as the ‘best war film since Saving Private Ryan’ – streaming on Netflix.
A relatively little-known war film is being lauded as the ‘best war drama since Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down’ — and anyone worth their salt knows that’s extraordinarily high praise indeed.
Within the war drama genre, this film is frequently overlooked, yet those who have witnessed this epic masterpiece simply cannot stop singing its praises.
Featuring Mark Wahlberg in the lead role, alongside Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, and Eric Bana, the film is being celebrated as one of the most raw, harrowing, and emotionally powerful productions available.
Lone Survivor is a 2013 action war drama based on the 2007 nonfiction novel of the same name, written by retired United States Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, with the help of thriller writer Patrick Robinson.
Notably, Luttrell and numerous other Navy SEAL veterans served as technical advisors on the production, alongside multiple branches of the US Armed Forces that contributed to the film’s making. With such invaluable first-hand expertise at their disposal, it comes as little surprise that viewers are praising the film’s ‘authenticity’ and ‘realness’, reports the Express.
Set against the backdrop of the war in Afghanistan, Lone Survivor is a compelling retelling of the United States Navy SEALs counter-insurgent mission, ‘Operation Red Wings’, which followed a four-person SEAL surveillance and reconnaissance team charged with tracking down Taliban leader Ahmad Shah.
Penned and helmed by Peter Berg – who has received tremendous praise for his war epic since its debut – Lone Survivor earned $154.8million at the worldwide box office against a $40million budget. It even secured two Oscar nominations – Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing – at the 86th Academy Awards.
With an impressive 87% audience approval rating calculated from over 100,000 reviews, it’s clear Lone Survivor made a lasting impression on viewers.
One critic said: “Lone Survivor is an amazing war film that explores the idea of brotherhood and sacrifice in some of the best ways we’ve ever seen, while another reviewer wrote, “The most harrowing combat film since Saving Private Ryan.”
Another comparison to Saving Private Ryan by a critic added: “Small in scale but just as intense, Lone Survivor’s extended battle recalls the opening of Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. Like its hardy protagonists, it is determined to get the job done.”
While a different reviewer drew parallels to another iconic war epic: “Not since Mark Bowden’s Black Hawk Down has there been such a vivid account of a mission gone wrong.
“The picture may not be in contention for Oscars but it’s a first-class modern war film: visceral, exciting and thought-provoking.”
Audiences were equally captivated, with one viewer simply writing: “Unbelievable. Movie rips your heart out.”
One audience review said: “War, action, history, American; those are my absolute favorite movie genres and Lone Survivor delivered all of them in the most powerful way.
“It’s not just a war movie, it’s a raw, emotional tribute to the bravery, sacrifice, and brotherhood of those who serve. Gripping, heartbreaking, and unforgettable. Lone Survivor is a must-watch.”
Another fan said of the film: “My favorite film of ALL TIME! I couldn’t tell you how many times I have watched this film. The story of these soldiers is truly inspiring. Seeing what they had to go through portrayed by insanely talented actors that played their part PERFECTLY. The Directing, Acting, Casting, Editing & EVERYTHING is just excellent. If you have not seen this film. You NEED to watch it. You will truly be inspired.”
One IMDB reviewer declared it the ‘best war film since Saving Private Ryan’: “Easily the best War Movie since Saving Private Ryan, only an actual story. If you read the book and heard the interviews with the actual “lone survivor” you know that this movie got as close to the real events as possible.
“This movie is also the most visceral experience since Saving Private Ryan. After all is said and done this is a must see if there ever was one.”
While another IMDB review reads: “An emotional powerhouse film. This film is as good as Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan, it is absolutely worth seeing on the big screen and I highly recommend it.”
Lone Survivor is available to stream on Netflix.