Yes, the arrival of the big Summer escapist movie season looms with the big Marvel tentpole flick taking over the multiplex in just a couple of weeks. Not that there’s not a lot of “light fare’ out there already as those “gaming” superstar plumbers still rule the box office. But we can still squeeze in some somber subject matter “inspired by true events”. Actually “recent” should figure into that phrase, as the themes of this story are still happening. Now one of the most surprising things about this new release is the filmmaker behind the camera, a director best known for breezy, high-energy, UK-based crime capers (like the flick that was around only a few weeks ago). Well, he must be pleased with the end results since, in a twist on the old love adage, rather than putting “a ring on it”, he put his own name on it, hence the title GUY RITCHIE’S THE COVENANT.
Now, is 2018 recent enough for you? That’s when we meet Army Sergeant John Kinsley (Jake Gyllenhaal) leading his fellow soldiers in the fight against Taliban forces in Afghanistan. Since none of them have mastered the language, they rely on hired local interpreters. When their “voice” is silenced by a booby-trapped truck at a remote checkpoint, Kinley must find a new man. The best prospect is the somber sullen Ahmed (Dar Salim) whose son was killed by the Taliban. He and John soon butt heads over paying for intel, though Ahmed’s instincts save the squadron from a ‘set-up”.But one day, they aren’t as lucky. A raid on a possible weapons factory leads to an ambush that wipes out most of the crew before air “back-up” can swoop in. Ahmed and John escape into the nearby forest, with the Taliban right on their heels. During a brief rest at a rustic shack, the pursuers gravely wound John (orders are to bring in the duo alive), before Ahmed can gun them down and whisk the unconscious John away. Because the “bad guys” are controlling the major roads, Ahmed must carry, either on his back or on a wooden “bed” he has made, John nearly a hundred miles over rocky hills and dirt trails, to the US Army base. Eventually, John wakes up in a German hospital prior to being shipped back to the States. But it’s not a tranquil homecoming, as John learns that Ahmed is still trapped in Afghanistan with a helftyTaliban price tag on his head. along with his pregnant wife. But John will not give up, even after hours of being on “hold” when trying to locate him and make sure he’s given sanctuary and a “ticket out”. It’s then that he resolves to “keep his word” and return there to find his friend. Without “official channels” can this “rescue mission” possibly work?
Gyllenhaal delivers another noteworthy performance as the tough military man carrying the fates of his “band of brothers’ on his broad shoulders as he tries to avoid the traps in a very unfamiliar land. We can see him scoping out the possible dangers as his eyes flit about, trying to catch a glimmer of an enemy in a sea of hostility. His intensity carries us through the story’s midsection in which he’s the object of Ahmed’s devotion and the Taliban target. We can see his love for his wife and home, but Gyllenhaal conveys that inner struggle, the guilt of being “plucked from Hell” while his champion suffers. This pushes him back into action mode, though we see his unease at going “stealth”. The big standout of the story is Salim as the haunted interpreter, hurt by taunts of “traitor” by his neighbors, but propelled by a sense of justice for his fallen son. Ahmed is often frustrated by John, who can’t quite give his trust, but they quickly bond “in the trenches” as the enemy seems unending and invincible. Salim is a powerful partner to Gyllenhaal in the first two acts, then becomes a beacon of strength for his family hiding in the shadows. Kudos also to the outstanding supporting work from Emily Beecham as John’s wife who knows she could lose him again but feels he’ll never be truly “home” until debts are paid. Ditto for Jonny Lee Miller as John’s sympathetic C.O. and Antony Starr, the super-powered jerk of “The Boys”, as the “independent contractor. who may not be completely indifferent o John’s mission as he says.
What a compelling change of pace from the always-entertaining Mr. Ritchie. There’s little of the quick “in your face” editing flourishes from his action crime comedies here, though he does provide lots of locale and jargon labels along with the character IDs. He still keys into his action sensibilities to put us right inside the “hot spots’ along with John and company, as a split-second hesitation could mean doom for everyone. And we’re there for the chaos and the chase, as the duo must elude their captors and the harsh countryside, either choking on dust, evading cliffs, or sliding down hills into rocks and tree trunks. As Ahmed “takes over” during the “journey”, we hold our breathe along with him as he faces more angry faces and checkpoints and must quickly decide who to trust on that long. long trail. Ritchie also illustrates John’s growing anger as he spends hours on the phone with the indifferent “pencil-pushers”.The suspense is just as chilling in the “return’ segment, nearly matching the “rescue”. Best of all, Ritchie sneaks in a much-needed “message” about “keeping your word” in the script he co-wrote with Marn Davies and Ivan Atkinson. You may think you’ve seen enough of the desert war with THE HURT LOCKER and even Gyllenhaal’s own JARHEAD, but there’s much to appreciate in the drama, and heroism in GUY RITCHIE’S THE COVENANT.
3 Out of 4
GUY RITCHIE’S THE COVENANT is now playing in select theatres
