12 STRONG

US, 2018, 130 minutes, Colour.
Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, Navid Negahban, Trevante Rhodes, Geoff Stults Thad Luckinbill, Austin Stowell, Rob Riggle, William Fichtner, Elsa Pataki.
Directed by Nikolai Fuglsig.

12 Strong is based on a true story. It portrays a mission in Afghanistan after 9/11, a secret mission which was not revealed until almost a decade later. There are photos of those involved in the mission during the final credits.

This is one of those stories of American heroism. Patriotism, obviously, is one of the key themes. This is the United States, America has been attacked, America must act. In fact, the film opens with a resume of the terrorist attacks on the United States in the 1990s, various attacks on the World Trade Centre in 1993, the attacks on American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in the late 1990s, the role of Al Qaeda, the shock of 9/11 – with the images repeated at the beginning of the film to the surprise and dismay of people watching everything on television. And then we realise that this film was made 16 years after the event.

One of those watching the television, at home with his family, is Captain Mitch Nelson. We can be confident in him because he is played by Chris Hemsworth (and, in a nice touch, his wife is played by his real-wife wife, Elsa Pataky). He is a desk man, a trainer, who wants to become involved in some action after the destruction. The authorities are not so enthusiastic but one of his friends, played by Michael Shannon, is able to influence them and a Special Forces unit is set up.

They are to go to Afghanistan, make a secret journey through the mountains, meet with the Northern Alliance, make friends with some of the warlords in order to undermine and attack the Taliban.

The action we see might seem far-fetched, an incursion into Afghanistan, into fearsome terrains, encounters with hostile tribes, clashes with the Taliban, an expert estimating that such a mission would last two years. The 12 strong team accomplishes it in under 30 days. The men also survive.

There have been quite a number of films about American presence in Afghanistan in the years after 9/11, some with a touch of satire, Rock the Kasbah, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, others more serious action films like Lone Survivor.

The screenplay sets up a conflict between the sympathetic warlord who does not approve of the American tactics and withdraws his support for a time and the very sinister-looking Taliban chief. Ultimately, there will be a confrontation between these two.

The film does not underestimate the difficulties of the mission, language, supplies, the mountain paths, the armed Taliban, the difficulties of dealing with the warlord ally. However, the Americans can summon reinforcements for bombarding the enemy. There are injuries, there are some heroics.

This film is in the tradition of those World War II films, Vietnam films, where a unit in war is the focus of action, character development and interaction, achievement with some heroism.

1. Based on a true story? 2001? The background of the United States, the succession of terror attacks, Al Qaeda? 9/11?

2. The secrecy about the mission at the time? Not acknowledged? Later, the book? The final photo of the group?

3. The setting, President Clinton, the various attempts at terrorism, the attacks on the World Trade Centre, embassies in Africa? The role of Al Qaeda?

4. Nelson, at home, his daughter and wife, television news of 9/11? His squad? A trainer? The authorities, not wanting him to resume? Spencer and his support, the intervention? Nelson at his desk, turning it over? Getting his commission?

5. Spencer, at home, the tension with his wife, love for his son? Going into action?

6. Sam Diller, a teacher in the past, the fight? Joining the military? The others in the group – as a group, how much individual attention?

7. The commander, the interview with Nelson, orders? His assistant? Going to Afghanistan?

8. The history of Afghanistan, the wars, the previous intervention of Russia? American presence, the prediction about the war and America being stuck in Afghanistan? Local government, the role of the warlords, the Taliban? The two leaders exemplifying the groups? The scene of the execution of the girl and the condemnation of education for girls and women?

9. American understanding of Afghanistan, of the warlords, of power and influence? The role of Islam? The law and the Koran? Law and rigid interpretation?

10. The two Afghan leaders, Dostum, traditions, advising Nelson, upset about his decisions, getting closer to the action? His decision to leave? The Taliban leader, fierceness, in close-up, his strategies and tactics?

11. The terrain, the mountains, remoteness, the dangers? The towns and the people?

12. The listing of days “in country�, the tactics, communicating orders?

13. The squad as horsemen, the horses and travel, the mountains, the mountain pass and dangers? The role of vehicles? The range of ammunition, armaments? The availability? The type of mountain warfare?

14. American bombardments, from 35,000 feet? Getting the measurements, issues of accuracy?

15. The tactics of the two groups? Nelson and his leadership? His being wounded? The surveillance group? The political and diplomatic issues with the Northern Alliance?

16. The growing desperation, Nelson riding, falling? The number of deaths? The pursuit? Spencer being injured? Carried, the helicopters coming?

17. The confrontation between Dostum and the Taliban chief? The chief dying?

18. The 23 days, the achievement, not being made public, going home?

19. The domestic sequences?

20. The consequences? The continued presence of the Americans in Afghanistan?