Lone Survivor - Engaging at the beginning but fizzles out.

One of the main reasons to watch this movie today was Mark Whalberg. Having amazed the world with a terrific performance in The Shooter, one cannot be mistaken for expecting the same from MW in this similar Sniper-Lead movie. However, those who expected a Shooter like movie will feel disappointed.

Basically the movie is about a team of 4 Seals who are on a mission to take down a head of Taliban who has recently killed as many as 20 Seals and the Bargam US Base decides enough is enough and sends these 4 men to basically avenge their mates' deaths and of course eliminate a terror threat. But during a hideout they encounter a goat herd shepherded by the villagers, who are inbred with hate for Americans. The seals catches them, only to release them later on rules and human grounds and try to scale the highest peak and escape before getting caught. Fate thinks otherwise as those who are released blows the whistle about the Seals trekking in the hills. They are surrounded within half way by terrorists who begin ambush on the 4 seals. Movie goes into great details and explores the nook and corner of the brutal attack of the terrorists on the seals and their retaliation.

Based on true events and the book on the same title, The Lone Survivor is not a recount of the struggle to escape (say, Rescue Dawn) nor a heroic and single handed survival and escapist stint of a prisoner of war. Instead, the movie takes an unsung path of a mission gone haywire due to unexpected turn of events for the 4 Seals. The aghast, so near yet so far feeling of the seals waiting for rescue, only to see their own helicopter shot down, that follows are to be seen to be believed.

Technically the film is flawless. Superb cinematography capturing every sniper shot in great details, the aerial views, the slips down the mountains to name a few and The background and sound design, all three that will make you feel a part of the movie, that you are actually there with these soldiers, fighting.

Having said all that, the movie does drag a bit. The strength of the movie is its weakness too. It goes into details so specific that at times you feels the pace could have been much better.

On the whole The Lone Survivor is salute to all the Navy Seals, the Marines who risked their lives in the operation red wing. It is stunning and engaging mostly but fizzles out in the middle.