With the official credit reading as 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Director Michael Bay takes a slight change in direction in this true story of six elite ex-military special op’s men. That is of course until we come across the massive big budget explosions and action sequences.
Michael Bay, who is best known for his Transformers series has taken a step into the political forum with 13 Hours. Considering its subject of Libyan insurgents attacking the compound of a U.S. outpost and the CIA in the volatile town of Benghazi back in 2012, it isn’t completely pro-American which is constantly forced down our throats. We are shown exactly how these special ops and their very own CIA agents were left to fend for themselves with no back up for way too long.
Adapted from the book, which was written by the surviving members of the Annex Security Team, 13 Hours centres around two men, Former Navy Seals and good friends Jack Silva (John Krasinski) and Tyrone “Rone” Woods (James Badge Dale), two private contractors brought in to protect the CIA Intelligence Unit that are based in the city. It isn’t long until Bay’s visual chaos begins as the two men face a standoff with a group of Libyan’s as they make their way through the city. The quick camerawork of zigzagging between different groups of men makes for a very early eye ache. This doesn’t stop here as it continues for the entire film.
With the first half an hour building the scene, we get a glance at the men that are born soldiers and will do anything it takes to protect, we also get to meet the arrogant, self-important team leader of the CIA who has a major disdain for these men and constantly slaps on the shackles and prevents them from doing their job. The first instance of this comes when insurgents attack the U.S. diplomatic compound is relentlessly attacked until its defences are broken down and the first lives are claimed in Ambassador Christopher Stevens (Matt Letscher) and Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith (Christopher Dingli). Finally, the men are allowed to go and save the remaining men and take them to their secret hideout which doesn’t seem so secret.
As the men batten down the hatches and take to the roofs of their compound, night fall’s and confusion sets in with each approach to the outside walls of the sanctuary, by car’s pulling up to groups of men roaming the fields in Zombieland. Are they insurgents or are they friendlies, the men just don’t know until the last minute. A premeditated attack soon arrives in a hail of bullets, rockets and explosions that resonate, feeling every last blast and explosion deep within your soul. With mortal combat come the need for brutality and the gruesome scenes of bones sticking through flesh and limbs half hanging off which causes a turn away.
13 Hours is released in UK cinemas 29th of January.