12 Strong – Review

12 Strong – Budget of $35 million – 2 hours and 9 minutes

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After seeing the 9/11 attacks on TV, Capt. Nelson wants to rescind his retirement paperwork and go to Afghanistan with his men.  Lt. Bowers says no but when Cheif Warrant Officer Spencer learns the papers have not been filed, he rips them up and Nelson’s men will be the first strike against the Taliban.  Once they arrive in the war zone, Col.Mulholland gives the team of 12 men the code name Task Force Dagger.  Dagger must meet with General Abdul Rashid Dostum of the Northan Alliance and join forces.  They will use his intel and Dagger’s training & air strikes to release the Taliban’s stronghold on the area.  They have a few problems.  First, winter is near and the weather will hinder the air strikes.  Second, there is a turf war between the different factions of the Northern Alliance.  And last, the terrain is better accessible by horseback.  With little horse riding experience and only 6 horses, the Dagger splits off into 2 teams.  Alpha Team will meet up with Dostum while Bravo Team will stay at the base and relay messages to HQ until they get more horses.  This is a bloody and complicated battle that will have a lasting impact on both sides.

Based on Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton, this movie gives you a small window into the first battle against the Taliban (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  It’s frustrating to see Task Force Dagger face language barriers and infighting within the Northern Alliance.  When Nelson learns that Dostum is in contact with the Taliban, he is in total shock.  They consistently have pissing matches over the walkie-talkies.  While this is the first blow of a major war, it left its mark on American and Taliban history.  This movie does not hold back on any battle scene.  You will see blood, guts, dismemberment, and the after-effects of a suicide bomber.  So if you suffer from PTSD or shell shock, this movie can be skipped.  On the other side, it does show that the Taliban’s beliefs are not widely held among the Afghan people but it is deadly forced upon them.  This is just one more war on their soil.  And that’s the truly sad part about this movie.  Also, there is no need to see it in IMAX.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

I told him I wanted back in and he said no – Nelson

You are cutting the head off your most venomous snake – Spencer

No, he is showing us off. He is saying here’s the Americans. They are with me – Diller

Those are killer’s eyes – Dostum

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Den of Thieves – Review

Den of Thieves – Budget of $30 million – 2 hours and 20 minutes

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Los Angeles is the banking capital of the world and has 9 bank robberies a day.  So after an armored truck is stolen, Big Nick and his fellow officers are ready to go.  They look through their list of usual suspects to narrow the potential perpetrators down.  However, when Nick learns the thieves knew how to strike and where to strike but the truck was empty, he concludes there is more to the robbery.  The only known robber with this much expertise is Merriman.  Merriman is ex-military, ex-football player gone bad and paroled 8 months ago.  After surveillance, they find the Den of Thieves backing Merriman.  Big Nick learns Merriman’s thieves were either in jail with him, in the military with him, or on his football team.  Nick knows the thieves are trained and ready at a moments notice.  But what Nick doesn’t know is the robbers are preparing for the biggest score ever.  The one bank that has never been robbed, The Federal Reserve.  The team wants to break in and steal the bills marked for shredding.  They know the serial number will be taken out of the system and no one will be looking for the money.  To get this information, Nick will go after the newest and weakest member of the team, Donnie, the driver.

Talk about a roller coaster ride.  This movie hits the gas and never let’s go.  You are given a thrilling cat and mouse game with an Ocean’s Eleven-style bank robbery with a Set It Off shootout (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  Now pay close attention to everything you see and hear, it will become important.  And you have no idea how this will end.  While uncovering the mystery, it does go own the path of Nick’s marriage.  This was completely unnecessary.  With several scenes, you got to see that he is self-destructive.  So the fallout of his marriage was not needed.  See this movie before someone ruins the ending.  And you will want to watch it again.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

You pausing for dramatic effect? – Big Nick

I told you so – Merriman

So, you work across the street? – Donnie

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