This movie is some military guy's idea of what a movie should be like. This movie wasn't entertaining. It was tedious. Too many shootouts and chases.
You can't replace proper character development with narration by SEALS about how much these SEALS love their families and each other. Sorry, but you can't. These family/camaraderie scenes were too awkward and seemed phony to me.
If you're going to make "glory", "honour", "sacrifice", etc. the theme of your movie, you really have to play it with a light hand. In this movie the moviegoer is bludgeoned to death with it. Every sappy thing you can imagine is thrown at you.
There were some really dreadful acting performances in this movie.
The dialogue was forced and irritating. "Yes" is not good enough. It has to be "roger that" or "check". Even "you" is replaced by "your ass". Everyone spoke constantly in an abrupt staccato way, as if they couldn't stop doing it. This military-style dialogue just felt forced and overdone to me. If the SEALS really talk like this all the time, they live in a strange world. I've served in the military and it's not like this.
The Christo character confused me. Why would a Russian Jew who spoke such flawless American English be willing to participate in jihadist activities against the US? And how could the same man be considered a local hero in Costa Rica?? I don't require perfect logic and credibility in a movie, but these issues made it difficult for me to enjoy the movie.
The scene of the amateurish and juvenile interrogation of Christo was just....strange.
I found the movie hard to follow at times. I couldn't tell the characters apart at times. When Mikey got hit, and everyone was yelling "Mikey! Mikey!" I was thinking, "who is Mikey again?"
The violence in this movie was over the top and gratuitous. Two scenes in particular. However, I don't want to say anything more about that because it'll give away what happens. OK, we get it. The evil guys are truly evil. No grey. No nuance. Just black and white.
This movie presented a world view that I don't recognise. Apparently there are Philippine Muslims willing to act as suicide bombers. Really? Apparently there is an association, a vast conspiracy, between jihadists and organised criminals in Russia, Costa Rica and Mexico. Really?? The open shootouts in Mexico and Costa Rica are just disturbing. I thought these countries were allies of the US.
To accept this movie, you have to accept that ordinary Costa Ricans and Mexicans (even those involved in nefarious activities) will do suicidal things in the face of overwhelming American military firepower, i.e. put themselves in the line of fire and willingly sacrifice their lives...for what exactly? Their orders? Are the Costa Ricans and Mexicans really that fanatical? To filmmakers with this worldview, everyone is a suicidal fanatic.
And can the SEALS just go into Mexico and terrorise Mexicans like this in their efforts to protect American interests? That surprised me...
Another problem for me started with the use of the word "war" at the beginning. The US is not really at war is it? But even if it is, this does not include the kind of international operation shown in this movie. For these filmmakers, the fight against international organised crime has merged into the concept of war. To enjoy this movie you have to accept that the US is involved in a "war" that entails military operations all over the world. Apparently there are American filmmakers who believe that the US is involved in a universal, never-ending war with almost everybody.
OK, the SEAL tactics and military technology were cool.
