“Special Forces” is a French war-adventure film directed by Stéphane Rybojad about a rescue mission carried out against the Taliban after they kidnap a French journalist (Diane Kruger, “Unknown”). Released in France in 2011, the film was finally brought stateside Oct. 14.
It’s easy to accept this film as a solid war action movie with plenty of intense dialogue, snappy catchphrases and slow-motion shots. The first third of the film fit into this stereotype. The remainder of the movie, however, proved that judgment to be completely wrong.
After the rescue operation is completed, the French unit flees the Taliban compound, pursued by the tribe leader and his small army. The Taliban force drives the rescued journalist and French soldiers far away from the pick-up spot, into the cruel mountains of Pakistan, where they lose contact with the military. Unable to call for back-up, the unit continues to flee into more mountainous areas. The rescue mission then becomes a desperate fight for survival against hunger, the cold and injuries from the battles.
The better part of the film examines this new struggle, achieving several genuinely tear-jerking moments. There are many shots of breathtaking scenery, dramatic mountain landscapes and ice fields which provide a feeling of distinct hopelessness.
Unfortunately, much of this movie is overstated, especially the battle scenes in the earlier portions before the rescue. They have a distinct lack of subtlety and originality. The dialogue is interspersed with mediocre jokes, and the shootouts between the six French soldiers and the dozens upon dozens of Taliban fighters become a bit unbelievable.
These flaws mostly faded away after the group fled into the mountains, although that very same plot turn creates several inconsistencies for the rest of the film. The scenes of the trek through the mountains hold nothing back, and neither do the actors; these scenes are the best parts of the film.
It seems like this movie is off the mark in many ways, and that’s true. Although the film certainly has its merits, it’s far from perfect. “Special Forces” is worth seeing, especially for journalism students with an interest in war correspondence.
“Special Forces” boasts good emotional acting but is hindered by a less-than-bulletproof plotline and some weak writing. Looking past that, it is redeemed by a handful of scenes which quite effectively portray the despair of the characters.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
