Ali Garfield

Hollywood has sadly made every war film to some degree a cliched mess of blockbuster action and unrealistic expectations (13 hours, 12 strong etc) meaning films like Kilo Two Bravo (or Kajaki as seen on Netflix) get shrugged under the rug because they’re not action blockbusters or they’re too realistic. Additionally similar to game of thrones, the film doesn’t follow the stereotype of this person is untouchable, instead it makes you quickly realise that no one is safe at any point, even when things seem good it will immediately remind you that isn’t the case. For a 1 hour 48 min film, which is relatively short, it feels like hours (in a very good way). The intensity and tension spans from the get go and doesn’t let up until the credits. You’re engaged throughout without chance to sit back and relax. This is what suspense is really like and it makes you feel like you’re there with the soldiers the entire time, you connect with them and each time something goes wrong it’s snaps you right back into the grim reality of the situation. Quite frankly this film is absolutely top notch, it shows off the British army in a respectable manor, from the banter, uniforms, weapons, language and many more facts aside. It portrays the horrors of war in a realistic fashion, none of this heroic Hollywood nonsense with heartfelt soundtracks from the latest top 40 charts, instead hits us with the harsh reality of mine field based injuries. Not to mention the perfect showcase of tension and pure terror. The lack of music and heavy use of natural sounds really adds to the atmosphere. Obviously some things such as the CGI chinook and other minor details are a little off but it doesn’t detract from the film. It’s a stunning yet terrifying story of the Afghan conflict and quite frankly is one of my favourite films based on war stories, and ranks as one of my favourite films of all time. I will say this, if you are someone who wants an action film with heroic slow motion shots and cool battles, this is not the film for you. This film is something for those who want to see the true horrors of conflict (I will say this one time only, if you do not like graphic injuries this is the WRONG FILM FOR YOU!!!) Kudos to the director, writer, film crew and cast for absolutely nailing this film in a cinematic manor while still respecting the true story behind this film. This film has earned those 5 stars!!