A movie really can’t capture all of what soldiers go through in war. However, what a good war movie can show in two hours is enough for audiences who are never in life-and-death situations to be a bit of what soldiers sacrifice for them. It could also make watching veterans feel listened to, understood, and grateful. The outpost It is such a movie.
The true story of ‘The Outpost’
Based on Jake Tapper’s book, The outpost It begins by telling us that the PRT Kamdesh in the Kush Mountains of Afghanistan was called Camp Custer. The outpost sadly lived up to its name when the Taliban attacked it in 2009.
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The outpost It features the outpost at the bottom of vast mountains. It is not long before they shoot from above. It is a somewhat regular event. Director Rod Lurie identifies the outpost areas with on-screen text as he introduces the individual soldier unit.
Some of the soldiers we will follow throughout the film include Staff Sgt. Romesha (Scott Eastwood), Sgt. Carter (Caleb Landry Jones), Sgt. Martin (Cory Hardrict), Sgt. Hardt (Jack DeVos), Commander Zahid (Ahmad Sakhi), Stephen Mace (Chris Born), Cpt. Yilescas (Milo Gibson) and Puño. Lieutenant Keating (Orlando Bloom).
A day in the life in ‘The Outpost’
Day by day, this outpost is supposed to be blocking the flow of weapons to Taliban insurgents. Frequently, enemy fire disrupts basic activities. They take out the enemy and go back to work.
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The boys make some colorful jokes to complete their tour. In civil society, we might reprimand them, but on the front line, you can forgive them. Nothing they say invalidates their actions and they call each other when it becomes personal.
Representing the final battle
On October 3, 2009, Taliban forces descended from the mountains to attack the outpost. The amount of Taliban on the hill is like an army of Gremlins or monsters of Starship troopers, and they are probably real extras, not CGI doubles. That’s something you don’t see much in movies anymore, so the sheer number of enemies feels overwhelming.
The soldiers have to contain the Taliban who have higher ground. Lurie captures dynamic shots of soldiers running around the outpost with live explosions behind and beside them. He never resorts to shakycam. It is heartbreaking enough to see the battle.
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The layout of the outpost and the introduction to the many soldiers stationed there are worth it when you follow them into battle.The outpost It captures how everyone screams at each other, rightly, but it’s not a cacophony. Everyone says something they want to say and those with authority or good ideas understand it. Medical situations add suspense as it is a normal part of the battle. You must care for the wounded before the fighting stops and with limited access to medical supplies.
An epilogue addresses a soldier who comes home with trauma. That’s a valuable side that most war movies don’t show unless it’s PTSD. The outpost It is a heartbreaking depiction of the battle in the most recent war and honors the brave soldiers who lived or died for it. The outpost opens in selected theaters and VOD on July 3.
