the outpost movie review

‘The Outpost’: Film Review

West Point graduate Rod Lurie brings a respect for military service to this harrowing immersive account of a standoff between the Taliban and a small U.S. Army squad in Afghanistan.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

Chief Film Critic

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Just a few minutes past the midway mark of “ The Outpost ,” director Rod Lurie re-creates the Battle of Kamdesh, and for nearly the next hour of this intense, immersive modern-day combat thriller, audiences experience how it must feel to be caught in a sustained Taliban siege on a virtually indefensible location in Afghanistan.

Situated at the bottom of three tall mountains in hostile territory, exposed to daily attack from all sides, Combat Outpost Keating represents a terrifying example of an indefensible military position — what children, in their playground games, proverbially refer to as “the mush pot.” Adults might call it a suicide mission. And yet, on Oct. 3, 2009, 53 American soldiers found themselves trapped in this Afghan Alamo, swarmed by an estimated 400 enemy forces, in what would become one of the deadliest confrontations the Army sustained in the region.

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A film critic turned filmmaker who made his reputation behind the camera with a pair of talky political dramas, “Deterrence” and “The Contender,” Lurie similarly found himself in the mush pot after his ill-advised 2011 remake of Sam Peckinpah’s “Straw Dogs” — which is hardly a place of strength from which to stage either a career comeback or an epic homage to real-life heroism. Even so, working with a relatively modest budget, Lurie commits himself to delivering an authentic account of this unthinkable worst-case scenario, which is like having a front-row seat to hell — or it would be, if one were able to experience it in a movie theater, the way the director intended.

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But how could Lurie have known that a worldwide outbreak awaited “The Outpost’s” release? He’s been cursed before, as DreamWorks had to rethink the release of his 2001 military-prison thriller “The Last Castle” (the campaign for which featured an upside-down American flag) in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. In that case, the film still came out in cinemas, whereas “The Outpost” saw its U.S. premiere at SXSW canceled by the coronavirus (following an earlier screening at the Thessaloniki Film Festival the previous fall), and was later forced to scrap plans for a July 3 theatrical push from Fathom Events, defaulting to a streaming release.

Such a film may suffer from home viewing, and yet, “The Outpost” represents the most exhilarating new movie audiences have been offered since the shutdown began, which softens the compromise of watching it under less-than-ideal conditions — although it seems frivolous to talk about poor conditions compared to what the servicemen of Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment faced at COP Keating. “The Outpost” makes clear in its opening moments how tense life in such a camp must be at all times, as bullets blaze down from above, cutting fiery streaks across the screen.

If this were fiction, audiences might be able to better predict who lives and dies among the ensemble (a multi-cultural mix that features four survivors, cast alongside professional actors). But unless they’ve read journalist Jake Tapper’s book, “The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor,” things don’t play out in predictable ways.

Screenwriters Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson come to the assignment having previously collaborated on two Mark Wahlberg movies, “The Fighter” and “Patriots Day,” although it’s another of Wahlberg’s true-story projects, the Afghanistan-set “Lone Survivor” (in which they had no part), that “The Outpost” most resembles. Like that film, Lurie’s project captures the intensity of 21st-century warfare. But as its title implies, “Lone Survivor” perpetuates the Hollywood myth of solitary heroism, of exceptional individuals single-handedly saving the day, whereas “The Outpost” depicts how a group of soldiers work together under chaotic circumstances to save as many lives as possible.

The biggest name involved here is Orlando Bloom , who plays First Lt. Benjamin Keating, the commanding officer who receives the order to start prepping the team to close down the location — although they don’t yet realize that’s the Army’s goal. Rather, the immediate directive is to move a heavy-duty truck out from the bottom of this basin up a series of narrow roads and tight switchbacks, so it might be more useful elsewhere. That sets up what seems like an update of “Sorcerer,” William Friedkin’s underseen, ultra-suspenseful “The Wages of Fear” remake, in which a small team transports nitroglycerin via a similar vehicle. “The Outpost” illustrates how such a mission might have gone wrong, leaving the camp even more vulnerable than before.

Written accounts of the Battle of Kamdesh — including not just Tapper’s book, but also Medal of Honor recipient Clint Romesha’s own first-person retelling, “Red Platoon” — contextualize events by explaining the decisions that endangered the men stationed at COP Keating. For example, knowing that the outpost would soon be shut down, the Army directed its attention and resources elsewhere, instead of reinforcing the camp. But the soldiers couldn’t know that at the time, and “The Outpost” thrusts audiences into their shoes. Overwhelmed and confused, frustrated by orders that put them directly at risk, the members of Bravo Troop recognize they’re in a tough spot. Still, they don’t believe the local informant who insists that a Taliban attack is imminent.

During one of their walks up the mountain, Staff Sgt. Romesha ( Scott Eastwood ) points out just how easy it would be to overwhelm their low-ground position. Coming across as more than just a younger cover-band version of father Clint, Eastwood cowboys it up in the role, spitting out lines like “It’s the Big One. Saddle up!” and coolheadedly picking off Taliban snipers when everyone around him is ducking for cover. He’s the only one here who behaves like a Hollywood action hero, whereas the others — most notably Caleb Landry Jones as Staff Sgt. Ty Carter — embrace the fear and panic that threaten to overwhelm their training.

“The Outpost” isn’t glamorous, but it’s respectful of the sacrifice and split-second decision-making that Bravo Troop faced, amplifying the terror of such an impossible assignment by attempting to mirror the characters’ point of view. At times, the camerawork suggests first-person shooter games, or the swiveling perspective of virtual reality simulations. Cheating Bulgaria for Afghanistan, Lurie and DP Lorenzo Senatore embrace long takes, but don’t employ them to show-offy effect, making every attempt to place audiences in the scene, which pays off best in the film’s spectacular nearly hourlong finale.

That sequence deserves to be seen on the big screen — and maybe it eventually will, when megaplexes start booking the movies obliged to bypass them during the shutdown. In the meantime, it’s as if we’re all stuck in the mush pot these days, bombarded on all sides. Here’s a movie that understands that metaphor, as well as the existential need to keep on fighting.

Reviewed online, Los Angeles, June 24, 2020. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 123 MIN.

• Production: A Screen Media release of a Millennium Media presentation of a Millennium Media, Perfection Hunter production, in association with York Films. Producers: Paul Merryman, Paul Tamasy, Marc Frydman, Jeffrey Greenstein, Jonathan Yunger, Les Weldon. Executive producers: Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Rob Van Norden, Boaz Davidson, John Kalafatis, Tommy Vlahopoulos, Joanna Kalafatis, Jake Tapper, Eric Johnson, Andrey Georgiev. Co-executive producers: Samuel Hadida, Victor Hadida, Cory Hardrict. Co-producers: Hank Hughes, Ty M. Carter.
• Crew: Director: Rod Lurie. Screenplay: Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, from the book “The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor” by Jake Tapper. Camera: Lorenzo Senatore. Editor: Michael Duthie. Music: Larry Groupé.
• With: Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, Orlando Bloom, Jack Kesy, Cory Hardrict, Milo Gibson, Jacob Scipio, Taylor John Smith, Jonathan Yunger.

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‘The Outpost’ Review: A Harrowing Account of the War in Afghanistan’s Bloodiest American Conflict

David ehrlich.

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Another guns and glory war movie about young American soldiers having to shoot their way out of some rats nest they should never have been sent to in the first place, Rod Lurie’s “ The Outpost ” is a familiar but uncommonly visceral reminder of what it really means to “support the troops.” Set during America’s War in Afghanistan — which technically means that it could take place anytime between 2001 and God knows when — Lurie’s film dramatizes the bloodiest and most disastrous engagement our military has been involved in since deploying to Afghanistan almost two decades ago.

It all went down on October 3, 2009, when hundreds of Taliban soldiers took advantage of the fact that the 54 servicemen of Bravo Troop 3-61 CAV had been stationed at the bottom of a valley that would later be deemed “obviously indefensible.” Lurie has described what followed as “an extraordinary shitshow of mayhem and violence,” and “The Outpost” conveys that sense and then some. The film’s “Call of Duty”-level combat sequences may be too hypnotic to disprove the idea that there’s no such thing as an anti-war movie, but even (and sometimes especially) those parts seethe with non-partisan rage at the fact that these kids were sacrificed at the altar of America’s most pointless war.

If this steely memorial is louder than it is deep, it still manages to eke some real courage out of an incident that never should’ve happened. Far from the dick-swinging valor you might get from a Peter Berg movie about the same subject, Lurie’s version genuinely seems to care more about the people ensnared by the Battle of Kamdesh than it does about how badass they looked doing it. So many American soldiers have been asked to die for nothing, but “The Outpost” — for all of its occasional VOD vibes — finds true heroism in how they continue to fight for each other regardless.

Based on the Jake Tapper book of the same name, “The Outpost” spends its purgatorial first hour setting the stage for the violence to come; teaching us the film’s terrain like Kurosawa used to do so well. We’re told that the United States set up COP Keating in 2006, and that it quickly acquired the nickname “Camp Custer” because it seemed inevitable that everyone stationed there — surrounded by mountains that gave the Taliban the high ground — was going to die. The soldiers know that when the movie begins, and they just try to go about their business of engaging with the locals anyway. “This place is a shithole,” one of them says. “Well, it’s our shithole,” another replies. It’s hard to remember who, exactly.

To a degree, Lurie’s interchangeable cast of grunts (whose names flash by on screen faster than we can learn them) helps create a feeling that who they are won’t save them from what’s to come. A southern-fried Orlando Bloom owns the first act as First Lt. Benjamin Keating, but this isn’t the kind of movie where billing order determines what fate has in store for someone. Most of the idle chatter between the soldiers comes across like bad screenwriting, but only in the way that time-killing conversations do in real life, and Lurie shoots them with the light touch of someone just taking in the scenery. Some bullet fire rains down on the camp in the middle of a sunny day, and a totally naked infantryman grabs the nearest rifle and shoots back. That’s how it goes. It’s not always engaging, but it’s usually believable.

All of these characters mush together as part of Lurie’s attempt to convey the nervous limbo of life at the outpost, and yet a few still manage to stand out for better or worse. Caleb Landry Jones is well cast against his usual type (a demonically possessed lizard) as Staff Sgt. Ty Carter, a manic saint who’s always wearing shorts and never leaves a man behind. Scott Alda Coffey leaves a memorable impression as the ineffably decent Michael Scusa. Only Scott Eastwood , playing Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha, feels like he’s in the direct-to-Redbox version of this movie. Making the least of a standard-issue soldier role and grimacing through dialogue that even his father couldn’t say with a straight face (“We’re taking this bitch back!”), everything about Eastwood’s ersatz stardom detracts from the grim reality of what’s happening here.

That only proves more true when the combat starts, and his well-honed glint is distractingly out of sync with everyone else’s abject terror. Maybe that’s just what Staff Sergeant Romesha was like during the battle, but it can’t help but seem like his action star bravado belongs in a different movie — one where a firefight feels more like an opportunity and not the tragic consequence of a major leadership fuck-up. For the most part, however, Lurie does a strong job of threading the needle between excitement and calamity; shooting much of the 45-minute long ambush in hectic, agile long-takes allows him to capture the Battle of Kamdesh for all of its terror, and with a clarity that allows us to feel that terror in our bones.

Awash with the ominous tones of Larry Groupé’s score (which restrains itself from full-chested military bravado until the very end), every set-up is framed in a way that conditions you to expect a sudden jolt of violence. Sometimes it stays quiet, and other times major characters are sniped down with little fanfare. The savage grace of the battle choreography is sustained far longer than your nerves can take it, and the result is some of the most intense modern combat footage this side of “Black Hawk Down.” Understanding that some of the wannabe young Rambos watching this at home might want to partake in the action, Lurie emphasizes valor over victory whenever he can, and that — to quote one character —“it doesn’t matter what kind of soldier you are” when the army hangs you out to dry. “Dead bodies attract dead bodies” is a common refrain here, and those words radiate off the screen.

For all of its heart-in-your-throat excitement, “The Outpost” resonates as a cautionary tale more than anything else — especially in the wake of the revelation that the President of the United States looked the other way when Russia put bounties on the most vulnerable members of the American military. If our government cared about the boys of Bravo Troop 3-61 CAV as much as they cared about each other, more of them would still be alive today. Then again, if our government actually supported the troops, they wouldn’t have sent them to Afghanistan in the first place.

Screen Media will release “The Outpost” on VOD on Friday, July 3.

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In 2012, CNN news anchor and chief White House correspondent Jake Tapper released a non-fiction novel titled "The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor". It tells the story of a group of U.S. soldiers at a remote outpost near the town of Kamdesh, Afghanistan, who were overwhelmed and attacked by hundreds of Taliban in 2009. It was called The Battle of Kamdesh and was considered the bloodiest battle for American soldiers in that year. Rod Lurie's latest film adapts Tapper's novel with a star-studded cast leading the way. However, this film puts more of an emphasis on the battle itself rather than diving into the many decorated individuals at its center.  The Outpost  finds success in its thrilling, white-knuckling battle sequence, but rarely digs below the surface of the ones who fought in it.

The Outpost  starts off by explaining how, in 2006, the U.S. Army established a number of outposts in Northern Afghanistan in order to connect with the locals and cut off any weapons or supplies that may be transported to the Taliban. One of these outposts, and the one this story centers on, was called COP Keating. Based at the bottom of three different mountains, the outpost was nearly surrounded on all sides, putting it at a massive disadvantage if an attack were to take place. Many individuals being sent there even believed that they had no choice but to accept the fact that they probably wouldn't be making it out alive due to the outpost's location. From here, a number of characters are promptly introduced that are all en route to the outpost, but things don't stay calm for long.

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The conflict kicks off fairly quickly, with Lurie immersing viewers into it almost immediately and without warning. In many instances, casual conversations are suddenly cut off by gunfire, placing the viewer right in the shoes of these soldiers and keeping them just as on edge. At one point, Scott Eastwood's character, Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha, expresses that as long as they stay alive, they win, which echoes that intense sense of awareness that these soldiers feel daily while heightening the edge-of-your-seat action for the viewer. The stakes are incredibly high from the get-go, and tensions only rise from that point onward. There's rarely a moment where Lurie allows the viewer time to pause, relax, and breathe, but rather, maintains that high-intensity energy throughout the film's entire runtime. By doing this, Lurie is able to show viewers the almost constant feeling of uncertainty that these soldiers lived with on a daily basis. Not only is it immersive, but it's consistently gripping.

However, these incredible scenes of overwhelming action are often at the expense of well-developed characters and an added depth to the story. Aside from their brief introductions at the beginning, most of these characters aren't explored beyond that. It feels very surface-level, with little room being made available for exploration into these individuals and who they are. It isn't until the film's very final moments where a few of these soldiers' more vulnerable sides are tapped into. Be that as it may, in comparison to some war movies like Sam Mendes's wildly successful 2019 hit  1917   or even Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar-winning  The Hurt Locker (which both allowed ample space for their leads to fully explore a range of emotions about what they were enduring), The Outpost focuses more on the intense, and often crass, camaraderie these soldiers have rather than the emotional impact each of them experiences while being there.

Even so, this joking back-and-forth they all share could be a reflection of the fear they're feeling because of where they are and the dire circumstances they're in. Unfortunately, it's difficult to see behind that curtain as the narrative becomes more enveloped in the battle itself. At one point, Caleb Landry Jones' Staff Sergeant Carter even exclaims that "all this frat boy sh*t and joking around [...] this is not the place for it,"  and it feels like the point being made is never truly taken to heart. As the story carries on, they all maintain these same attitudes until the second half of the film when the main battle starts up. From there, it's non-stop action until the last ten minutes or so. It's clear that a tough-love atmosphere is needed in a place like this, but by leaving very little room available at the beginning for even brief moments of empathetic interaction holds The Outpost back from being the best war movie that it could be.

Regardless,  The Outpost remains a harrowing story that does a fantastic job of immersing viewers directly into its high-intensity action. Lurie's direction even captures these terrifying instances that these soldiers faced with very precise angles and viewpoints, especially when the camera pans upward to show how they really are just sitting ducks at the bottom of these mountains. It may not be perfect, but it's a thrilling and well-shot story that still honors those that served at Combat Outpost Keating during the Battle of Kamdesh.

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The Outpost  is now playing in select theaters and on-demand. It's 123 minutes long and rated R for war violence and grisly images, pervasive language, and sexual references.

The Outpost

The Outpost is a dramatic war film by director Rod Lurie, based on the accounts of a battle in Afghanistan written by Jake Tapper. The film centers on a small group of soldiers in the heart of Kamdesh, Afghanistan, who are forced to hold the line against near-impossible odds as they face off against several Taliban soldiers.

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‘The Outpost’ Review: A War Film Remembers the Fallen

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

You might expect director Rod Lurie (West Point class of 1984 with four years in military service) to push the flag-waving aspect of a film about the war in Afghanistan. Though The Outpost pays heartfelt tribute to the soldiers who fought and died during the bloody 2009 Battle of Kamdesh, he opens fire on the military hubris and stupidity that put these soldiers there in the first place. While President Obama talked of withdrawing troops, Army brass ordered a small unit of 53 U.S. soldiers to hold down Camp Outpost Keating, located at the bottom of three steep mountains. It was also just 14 miles from the Pakistan border, where more than 400 Taliban fighters picked them off from above like sitting ducks.

It’s that suicide mission that Lurie, and a cast headed by Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones and Orlando Bloom, bring so vividly to life as the insurgents assaulted the outpost with small-arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine guns and B-10 recoilless rifles. They killed eight American soldiers and wounded nearly two dozen others, making it one of the worst attacks on a U.S. outpost during the Afghan war. And just try not to think of the recent reports about Russia-paid bounties to Taliban forces for killing American soldiers.

With a script by Eric Johnson and Paul Tamasy, based on The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by Jake Tapper, the film emerges as an action thriller which never loses sight of the futility of the war being fought. Tapper, the chief Washington correspondent for CNN, wrote his 2012 bestseller to highlight what he termed the “deep-rooted inertia of military thinking.” Praising the book, Into the Wild author Jon Krakauer said: “If you want to understand how the war in Afghanistan went off the rails, read this book.”

You could also watch this intensely powerful movie, which Lurie directs with a keen understanding of the mechanics of battle and an overriding humanism that puts flesh-and-blood on the bones of the tragic story being told about Bravo Troop 3-61 CAV, one of the most decorated units of the 19-year conflict. Eastwood excels in the key role of Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha. (As the son of Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, the young star of The Longest Ride and The Fate of the Furious must have seen the irony of playing  a soldier named Clint.) Romesha understands that thoughts of home and family might interfere with the laser focus required to have the backs of his brothers in arms. Having written his own account of the war in the book Red Platoon, Romesha won the Congressional Medal of Honor for his courage under fire. Eastwood captures the soldier’s “saddle up” spirit and also his keen grasp of what led to this unwinnable situation.

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Still, not everyone had Romesha’s knack for putting on a brave front. As Specialist Ty Carter, another Medal of Honor winner, Caleb Landry Jones ( Get Out, The Florida Project ) shows how fear is real factor that needs handling in the heat of battle. The first part of the film at the base follows the usual bro pattern that lets us get to know the characters, including CPT Robert Yllescas, played by Milo Gibson (son of Mel), and Daniel Rodriguez, who along with other survivors of the battle, plays himself. Lurie catches the tension of base life that can be interrupted at any moment by sudden death from enemy fire — a few major characters are killed even before the main battle starts.

British actor Orlando Bloom, head shaved and meaning business, assumes a credible Yank accent to play Captain Ben Keating, the base commander whose mission of counterinsurgency — enlisting the civilian population to help against the enemy from the inside — is lost when the shooting starts. Taking up the film’s final, high-tension hour, the Battle of Kamdesh represents Lurie’s finest achievement to date as a director, up there with Deterrence and The Contender (and enough to forgive him for his misguided remake of Sam Peckinpah’s Straw Dogs. ) There have been other films about the Afghan war, including 12 Strong, War Machine, Lone Survivor, and the superb doc Restrepo. But The Outpost gets it crucially right by bringing home the meaning of heroism as a collective action. The you-are-there ferocity of this sequence, brilliantly abetted by the prowling, handheld camerawork of Lorenzo Senatore, ranks with the best interpretations of combat on film. Your nerves will be shattered, guaranteed.

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The Outpost Review

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The Outpost is a cleverly, and respectfully, crafted war film that uses a segmented, episodic approach to help you invest in the characters while building up to a very impressive battle sequence. It has notable main characters but the way the narrative is constructed no one in the large cast feels sidelined or marginalized.

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The Outpost Review: A Gut-Wrenching Account of the Afghanistan War

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The War in Afghanistan has raged for nineteen brutal years. America's longest running conflict is again front page news. Explosive revelations that the Taliban were paid bounties by the Russians to target American troops have rocked the political establishment. The Outpost , a gut-wrenching film about the war's bloodiest battle, couldn't have a more fitting release date. It is a stark reminder of the lives lost, and the heroes who've fought valiantly for their country. The film asks the most important questions. Are the sacrifices worth it? And why did we put our troops in a place that was impossible to defend?

The Outpost is adapted from CNN journalist Jake Tapper 's 2012 novel. It begins in October of 2006 with Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha (Scott Eastwood) and his unit arriving at PMT Kamdesh under cover of darkness. Nestled in a deep valley in the north of Afghanistan, Camp Kamdesh was nicknamed "Camp Custer" by the soldiers. The Outpost was a forward operating base for counterinsurgency. It was surrounded by a steep mountain range; where Taliban fighters could take easy potshots at the troops below. Reinforcements were forty minutes away in the best conditions.

Captain Keating (Orlando Bloom) updates the new arrivals on their situation. The mission is to engage with the local villagers to win hearts and minds. He requests a shura, a consultation, with the elders. The United States will pay them to build schools, roads, and utilities for their homes. But they must lay down their arms and provide intelligence about the Taliban . The elders do not see a difference between the British, Russian, and now American troops in their country. They are occupiers.

The Outpost introduces us to the soldiers and their daily activities. Staff Sgt. Gallegos (Jacob Scipio) is tough as nails. Private Scusa (Scott Alda Coffey) is kindhearted and takes care of the camp's stray dog. First Lt. Bundermann (Taylor John Smith) listens to his men's complaints. Specialist Carter (Caleb Landry Jones) is the odd man out. An outsider by nature, he dislikes the "frat boy" atmosphere. The soldiers live in constant fear of attack . Insurgents fire on them at all times.

The Outpost takes casualties as time passes. New commanding officers come and go, some in body bags. In the early morning of October 3rd, 2009, hundreds of Taliban soldiers attacked the camp from the mountains above. Inclement weather prevented reinforcements for two hours. The soldiers, some pinned down by enemy fire, fought savagely for every inch of the camp. The men of Bravo Troop 3-61 Cavalry would become the most decorated of Operation Enduring Freedom. Two soldiers won The Medal of Honor, America's highest commendation for valor. It was the first time in fifty years that multiple medals were awarded to a unit.

The Battle of Kamdesh was the deadliest firefight of the Afghanistan war. It is now known as a different name. The film explains why. Director Rod Lurie ( The Contender , Straw Dogs ) offers an unflinching portrayal of soldiers in combat. Their youth, hopes, and dreams are shattered by the grim reality of their situation. They were placed in an indefensible position with no support. Their lives were essentially fodder for a failed military strategy. The Outpost 's harrowing climax is akin to the carnage of Saving Private Ryan 's beach invasion. You will be moved to tears by the death and destruction.

Caleb Landry Jones ( X-Men: First Class , Get Out ) delivers his career best performance as Specialist Ty Michael Carter. His character arc throughout the film is riveting. Carter was the outsider personality-wise, but a dedicated comrade in arms. His heroism under fire is the definition of courage and selflessness. Carter's last scenes in the film are absolutely heartbreaking. He embodies the feelings of devastation and loss. Caleb Landry Jones deserves an Oscar nomination.

The Outpost is a difficult watch in this dark pandemic time. But we cannot allow the Afghanistan War to become an afterthought. Our political and military leaders must be held accountable for this seemingly never ending conflict. Too many of our fellow citizens have paid the ultimate price. The Outpost is a production of Millennium Media and York Films. It will be available July 3rd on demand from Screen Media Films .

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The outpost, common sense media reviewers.

Impressive, harrowing depiction of battle in true war story.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Fictional depiction of real-life courage and heroi

Real-life staff sergeants Clint Romesha and Ty Car

Frequent guns and shooting. Exploding mortars. Man

Naked male behind. Strong sex-related dialogue. A

Constant, extremely strong language includes uses

Cigarette smoking. Reference to smoking hash. Refe

Parents need to know that The Outpost is a war drama set in Afghanistan in 2009. Based on Jake Tapper's book, it tells the true story of a deadly attack on a U.S. Army outpost. Violence is bloody and intense, with lots of guns and shooting, explosions, death, extremely gory wounds, fighting, and other…

Positive Messages

Fictional depiction of real-life courage and heroism, with people risking their lives in a deadly situation to save their colleagues. Wrestles with question of whether Army made a mistake by placing the outpost in such a vulnerable spot, putting the soldiers in danger in the first place, in addition to origins of war in Afghanistan.

Positive Role Models

Real-life staff sergeants Clint Romesha and Ty Carter, both awarded Medal of Honor, are heroes for attempts to save others during deadly situation. Many heroic acts depicted, from dragging wounded to safety to donating blood to concentrating on bigger picture and ending the attack. In addition to being portrayed in the movie, Romesha and Carter -- and other soldiers -- are interviewed for the epilogue. On the downside: use of racial/cultural slurs (joke about Mexicans sneaking across the border, use of the word "retard," etc.).

Violence & Scariness

Frequent guns and shooting. Exploding mortars. Many characters killed. Bloody, gory wounds (character's cheek blown off his face, piece of brain lands in man's mouth, etc.). Charred body. Fighting, kicking. Truck tumbles off cliff, crashes below. Character considers suicide, points rifle at chin. Fire. Dog shot and killed (off-camera). Characters hold waterboarding contests.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Naked male behind. Strong sex-related dialogue. A man wears women's underwear on his face and inhales. Man caught attempting to masturbate to a photo of another man's wife, etc. Sexy pinup picture shown hanging in background.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Constant, extremely strong language includes uses of "f--k," "motherf----r," "c--ksucker," "s--t," "bulls--t," the "N" word, "p---y," "t-ts," "a--hole," "ass," "d--k," "snatch," "cum," "bastard," "bitch," "goddamn," "damn," "hell," "piss," "retarded," plus exclamatory use of "Jesus," "Jesus Christ," and "doing the Lord's f--king work."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Cigarette smoking. Reference to smoking hash. Reference to a character having a "substance abuse issue."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Outpost is a war drama set in Afghanistan in 2009. Based on Jake Tapper's book, it tells the true story of a deadly attack on a U.S. Army outpost. Violence is bloody and intense, with lots of guns and shooting, explosions, death, extremely gory wounds, fighting, and other disturbing imagery (someone contemplating suicide, a dog getting shot, etc.). Language is also extremely strong, with constant use of words including "f--k," "c--ksucker," "s--t," "retard," and more. There's some pretty graphic sex-related dialogue, a naked male bottom, a man sniffing a woman's panties, and more. Characters smoke cigarettes, and there are references to smoking hash and a man with substance abuse issues. While the film isn't perfect, it does have impressive filmmaking, depicting the action in suspenseful yet harrowing and heartbreaking ways. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (4)
• Kids say (3)

Based on 4 parent reviews

A Great, Though Shockingly Profane Movie

Bloody movie is very good, what's the story.

In THE OUTPOST, which is based on a true story, a group of American soldiers is stationed at U.S. Army Combat Outpost Keating, located at the bottom of a valley in Nurestan Province in Afghanistan. Surrounded by mountains, the outpost is highly vulnerable to attacks, and the men fend off Taliban snipers on a daily basis while going through an ever-rotating selection of first lieutenants. In 2009, the Taliban launched everything they had at the outpost, resulting in the bloody Battle of Kamdesh. There were many casualties, and many lives were lost, but the bravery and heroism of staff sergeants Clint Romesha ( Scott Eastwood ) and Ty Carter ( Caleb Landry Jones ) earned them both Medals of Honor.

Is It Any Good?

It has a few flaws typical of war movies, but this tense drama features an amazing, extended battle sequence that's harrowing yet coherent. It also has an appealingly hard, terse quality to its dialogue. That said, The Outpost -- which is based on journalist Jake Tapper's book -- has many characters, and, with the roving camera and identical military gear and helmets, it's often difficult to tell them apart. Director Rod Lurie tries to make up for this with an extended epilogue in which many of the real men who were there are interviewed, but that still doesn't provide much context. The movie also sometimes leans too far toward seriousness and honor, but fortunately it pulls back frequently enough.

The actual storytelling during the movie's first half focuses on little moments -- such as one scene involving a soldier admiring his girlfriend back home -- and the exchanges between characters have a classical snap, recalling "tough guy" war movies of the 1950s. The final half of The Outpost focuses on the big battle, with Lurie's camera darting and dodging between buildings and barriers, ducking bullets, and getting up to move again. These scenes are composed of several long, dynamic takes that capture the chaos and the action perfectly and with clarity. It's suspenseful but also horrifying and heartbreaking. Ultimately, this is a portrait of men in war whose top priority is to look out for one another.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about The Outpost 's violence . How intense is it? Does it make war seem exciting? Or does it seem shocking, horrifying? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

Is this an anti-war movie? Does it support the soldiers who served? How?

How do the characters demonstrate courage ? Why is that an important character strength ?

How is smoking depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : August 18, 2020
• Cast : Scott Eastwood , Caleb Landry Jones , Orlando Bloom
• Director : Rod Lurie
• Studio : Screen Media
• Genre : Drama
• Character Strengths : Courage
• Run time : 123 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : war violence and grisly images, pervasive language, and sexual references
• Last updated : April 20, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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• What To Watch Next?

The Outpost

A small detachment of u.s. soldiers battles hundreds of taliban fighters to prevent their isolated camp from being overrun. 'the outpost' is a true story that depicts the events leading up to the battle of kamdesh, and the engagement in detail..

The movie is based on a true story, and it follows the attack against U.S. forces by Taliban fighters in October 2009. The battle was one of the bloodiest of the Afgan conflict; eight American soldiers died in the engagement. In addition, two U.S. soldiers, Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha and Staff Sergeant Ty Carter were awarded the Medal Of Honour for their courageous actions.

Camp Keating was situated in a deep valley surrounded by mountains. The geography gave insurgents an advantage over the Americans below. Taliban fighters used the high ground to probe the American base for weaknesses in the weeks leading up to the main assault.

The film's ‘plot' depicts the events leading up to the battle and the fighting itself. As a result, character development is more substantial than most war movies but not as deep as other films. However, it doesn't affect the film negatively; critics have remarked on the weak dialogue, which I feel is nitpicking at best. No one is watching this for long monologues. The Outpost is a factual war movie in the style of ‘ 13 Hours – Secret Soldiers of Benghazi ‘.

Scott Eastwood (Son of Clint) plays SSG Clint Romesha ; he gives an excellent performance in the role and has undoubtedly put a marker down for being considered as a leading man in future pictures. Orlando Bloom stars as CPT Ben Keating, and Caleb Landry Jones stands out as SPC Ty Carter.

The story moves along at a decent pace, even when trying to convey the long periods of tedium soldiers endure. The Action sequences are powerful, and the close-quarters fighting captures the chaos of battle. The fighting scenes are reminiscent of ‘Black Hawk Down' or ‘Saving Private Ryan' in their intensity.

Even though this movie doesn't employ any new techniques or deviate from traditional storytelling, what it does, it does well. Overall, if you enjoy war movies, you'll love this. Even if you don't usually watch this type of film, you should include it on your watch list.

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• Good Action Scenes
• Scott Eastwood
• 20 Minutes Too Long

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The Outpost

Critics reviews, cast & crew.

Edoardo Morabito

Christopher Clark

Screenwriter

Giulia Achilli

Marco Alessi

Nathalia Scarton

Review: ‘The Outpost’ is a visceral depiction of combat but little else

• Copy Link URL Copied!

Located in a valley at the base of three mountains in northeastern Afghanistan, U.S. Army Combat Outpost Keating was by all standards indefensible. Yet on Oct. 3, 2009, some 50 U.S. soldiers held off hundreds of enemy fighters in a 12-hour firefight that resulted in Bravo Troop 3-61 Cavalry becoming one of the most decorated units in the Afghanistan war, with two living service members receiving the Medal of Honor from the same battle for the first time in 50 years.

The story of that day, known as the Battle of Kamdesh , as well as how those soldiers came to be there and the fateful aftermath, became the subject of television newsman Jake Tapper’s exhaustively detailed 2012 book “The Outpost.” That book has now been adapted for the screen by director Rod Lurie from a screenplay by Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson, with the movie staying tightly focused on the base. Lurie was himself a graduate of West Point before going on to careers as a journalist and filmmaker, which does make him uniquely suited for this story.

As so often happens in military movies, most notoriously in “Black Hawk Down,” the shaved heads and helmets of the soldiers renders most of the actors indistinguishable, and the characters bleed together. Orlando Bloom does make a strong impression as 1st Lt. Benjamin Keating, the upstanding leader for whom the base will come to be named, and Caleb Landry Jones adds an additional character to his ongoing gallery of struggling misfits. While the cast includes a number of celebrity offspring — Scott Eastwood, Milo Gibson, Scott Alda Coffey, Will Attenborough and James Jagger — they largely fail to make much impression as individuals. A number of the actual soldiers from Camp Keating appear in the movie as well.

“The Outpost” is a visceral battle picture but little more. Tapper’s book more strongly centered on the futility of the entire endeavor, up and down the chain of command, while also pulling back to chronicle the anxious families of the soldiers back home. By comparison, Lurie’s movie feels stuck in place.

Too many scenes meant to depict the bonds among soldiers come across as macho posturing. By the time the main siege begins and the movie most springs to life, there is already a sense of monotony and tedium that is difficult to get past. Whether or not that is a true reflection of life at a remote military base, it does not elevate the story’s dramatic impact.

Thanks to lightweight cameras that stay close to the soldiers, Lurie and cinematographer Lorenzo Senatore create an extremely vivid grammar of combat, with an immersive and relentless intimacy. Inventive, swooping use of a camera-mounted drone maps the geography of the camp with clarity and care.

Minus the absurd ironies of “Catch-22,” the hallucinatory madness of “Apocalypse Now,” the clockwork precision of “Dunkirk” or the existential grimness of the recently rereleased 1985 Soviet film “Come and See,” there is something missing about “The Outpost.” The movie certainly does not glorify the horrors of war, but in placing camaraderie and brotherly bonds above all else it feels like it is somehow missing a larger point.

Especially from the vantage of 2020, the movie’s depiction of the events from 2009 occurs in something of a vacuum, with only fleet acknowledgement of larger objectives, or the basic question of why they are there. As a soldier says at one point, their only mission is to survive.

And while there is indeed unquestionable heroism and valor in what the men of COP Keating endure, the emphasis on that alone doesn’t make for much of a movie. “The Outpost” may be intended as a tribute to the sacrifices of U.S. service members but by downplaying the ambivalence over what was actually accomplished, the movie feels like something of a hollow gesture.

'The Outpost'

Rated: R for war violence and grisly images, pervasive language, and sexual references Running time: 2 hours, 2 minutes Playing: Starts July 3, Vineland Drive-in, City of Industry; also available on VOD

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The Outpost

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The Outpost Movie Review : A brilliantly executed war drama

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Our overall critic’s rating is not an average of the sub scores below.

The Outpost - Official Trailer

Users' Reviews

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dubeyak 1112 days ago

Bilalaitelcaid 1163 days ago.

The best English movies

azirudinmes 1191 days ago

Subhrayu Mondal 1263 days ago

Nice war movie. Real life story. Based in Afghanistan. War genre. Must watch movie for war movie lovers.

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The Outpost

A small team of U.S. soldiers battles against hundreds of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. A small team of U.S. soldiers battles against hundreds of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. A small team of U.S. soldiers battles against hundreds of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

• Paul Tamasy
• Eric Johnson
• Jake Tapper
• Scott Eastwood
• Caleb Landry Jones
• Orlando Bloom
• 362 User reviews
• 91 Critic reviews
• 71 Metascore
• 2 wins & 7 nominations

Top cast 56

• SSG Clint Romesha

• SPC Ty Carter

• CPT Ben Keating

• SGT Josh Kirk

• SGT Vernon Martin

• CPT Robert Yllescas

• SGT Justin Gallegos

• 1LT Andrew Bundermann

• SFC Jonathan Hill

• SPC Chris Griffin

• CPT Chris Cordova

• PV1 Ed Faulkner
• SPC Stephan Mace

• SGT Armando Avalos

• SPC Michael Scusa

• SGT Josh Hardt

• SGT Brad Larson
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Several soldiers in the film were played by actual soldiers from Combat Outpost Keating.
• Goofs In multiple scenes after characters urinate a "zipping" sound effect can be heard as they refasten their fly. In reality Army Combat Uniform pants have button flies, not zipper flies.

First Lt Benjamin Keating : So how do we do our jobs and stay safe? We need to keep a good relationship with the locals. Respect keeps us safe.

• Crazy credits After the ending credit song starts, the pictures of the KIA soldiers are shown along with a clip of the actor that played every one of them in the movie. After the song ends, there are various clips and interviews with the real soldiers and some of the actors, including two clips from the TV show "An Unlikely Hero" with Ty Carter and some words from him at the very end.
• Connections Featured in WhatCulture Originals: 10 Surprisingly Awesome 2020 Movies You Probably Missed (2021)
• Soundtracks Party Every Day Written by Brian Irwin (as Brian Hosmer Irwin), Gregory Richard Sweeney Courtesy of APM Music

User reviews 362

• Jul 5, 2020
• How long is The Outpost? Powered by Alexa
• July 3, 2020 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Official site (Japan)
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• Perfection Hunter Productions
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $18,000,000 (estimated)

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• Runtime 2 hours 3 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Wednesday, May 17, 2023

'outpost' (2023) movie review.

Following a violent attack, Kate (Beth Dover) runs as far as she can, to a fire-watch outpost on top of an Idaho mountain. Looking to find healing in the isolation and silence, she soon discovers that, as her closest neighbor Reggie (Dylan Baker) says, it may be silent, but it won’t be quiet. 

[Related Reading: 'Get Out' Movie Review]

Lo Truglio, who also wrote the script, doles out bits of mystery along the way like breadcrumbs on the trail. And while the story initially seems to be a tale of one woman reclaiming her life and power on a restorative journey, Outpost inverts the victim-looking-to-rebuild narrative in occasionally wild fashion—the final act takes things to unexpected and brutal places. 

[Related Reading: 'The Outwaters' Movie Review]

Outpost offers up a gorgeous movie to look at and the visuals help create thematic depth and texture. The setting is stunning to behold, and cinematographer Frank Barrera shoots the hell out of the sprawling landscape that looks so innocuous on the surface but that hides all manner of dangers, driving home the desolation and loneliness. They also put the tower itself to good use. Looming high above the mountain as it does, in what is essentially a glass box that, by necessity, has open 360-degree views, Kate is both simultaneously removed from the world but also nakedly exposed. 

[Related Reading: 'She Came From the Woods' Movie Review]

With both examples, and others, it leaves the impression that in some version there is more of these stories. It’s clear Lo Truglio has something significant in mind for them. Perhaps earlier drafts of the script or cuts of the film dig into these asides. Or, we’re talking about a low-budget indie movie here, it’s possible they couldn’t get the shots they needed to fully execute these ideas. Whatever the reason, it’s clear they’re supposed to be important, but as they play out on screen, that intended weight becomes more of a distraction than anything.

[Related Reading: 'Us' Movie Review]

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The 11 best war movies streaming on Netflix in August 2024

From harrowing recreations of world wars to sobering modern-day documentaries, Netflix has all manner of war films.

Netflix; DAVID LEE/NETFLIX; Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

There has been a rich tradition of war movies since the silent days of the silver screen. Films in this genre can captivate our senses with sweeping battlefields and graphic depictions of combat, enlightening us with tales of human triumph — and the worst humanity has to offer. 

Modern films are especially able to bring the visceral imagery of century-old wars to life, such as in Oscar winners like 1917 (2019) and All Quiet on the Western Front (2022). Others use war to tell more expansive human stories and play in multiple genres, like Da 5 Bloods (2020) and Starship Troopers (1997).

Here are Entertainment Weekly ’s recommendations for the best war movies streaming on Netflix right now.

1917 (2019)

Francois Duhamel / Universal Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

In 1917 , director Sam Mendes fully engages the audience in the harrowing journey of a pair of British soldiers during World War I. Tasked with communicating an important message to a commander in person, lance corporals Will Schofield (George MacKay) and Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) navigate the chaos of the trenches and an onslaught of enemy fire. 

Roger Deakins won an Oscar for his masterful cinematography, with long, unbroken takes, which, as Entertainment Weekly ’s critic writes , “effectively drops the viewer into the center of the story and compels them to stay there, fully immersed in every muddy step, hunger pang, and rifle click.” — Kevin Jacobsen  

Where to watch 1917 : Netflix

EW grade: A– ( read the review )

Director: Sam Mendes

Cast: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong , Andrew Scott , Richard Madden , Colin Firth , Benedict Cumberbatch

Related content: 1917 cast and creators explain how they made the film to be one continuous shot

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

The classic novel All Quiet on the Western Front has been adapted to film twice before, but this version by director Edward Berger is the first in the book’s native German. Newcomer Felix Kammerer plays Paul Bäumer, a young German soldier who eagerly signs up to fight in World War I but gradually loses his innocence upon experiencing the hellishness of trench warfare. 

Unlike the book and its previous adaptations, this version includes a storyline featuring the officials involved in ending the war. With stunning visuals and an ominous Oscar-winning score, EW’s critic observes that All Quiet on the Western Front is “​​an antiwar drama that transcends the bombast of propaganda mostly just because it's so artfully and indelibly made.” — K.J.

Where to watch All Quiet on the Western Front : Netflix

Director: Edward Berger

Cast: Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Daniel Brühl

Related content: 10 classic films to pair with the 2023 Best Picture nominees

Beasts of No Nation (2015)

Shawn Greene/Bleecker Street Media/ Everett

It’s the film that started the Netflix original movie storm. Beasts of No Nation , directed by Cary Fukunaga , follows Abu ( Abraham Attah ), a child soldier fighting in a civil war in an unnamed African country. Idris Elba costars as the Commandant, a despotic leader who preys on Abu. 

The movie gained the spotlight after many major theaters boycotted it over the rise of VOD, a fight of the past now. But, regardless of its contentious entry into the cinematic sphere, it’s a film that “deserves to be seen,” writes EW’s critic . “The movie becomes a gut-level portrait of exactly how a person’s soul and psyche can be dismantled, brick by brick.” The cast is phenomenal, especially Elba, who terrifies and takes away the humanity of Abu. Despite the positive critical reception, Beasts earned no Academy Award nominations but remains a must-see. — Robert English

Where to watch Beasts of No Nation : Netflix

EW grade: A ( read the review )

Director: Cary Fukunaga

Cast: Idris Elba, Kurt Egyiawan, Jude Akuwudike, Emmanuel "King King" Nii Adom Quaye, Abraham Attah

Related content: Beasts of No Nation : Idris Elba and Cary Fukunaga on humanizing tragedy

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Spike Lee has already proven himself as a legend of the big screen, so it’s no surprise that his tribute to Vietnam War veterans was another hit for the Oscar winner. Da 5 Bloods weaves the present and past as four vets return to Vietnam to seek the remains of their fallen squad leader ( Chadwick Boseman in one of his final film roles) and their buried treasure.

The film manages to juggle two themes: the emotional toll on the soldiers and a conversation about race in the 1970s and America’s role in the war. The result is stunning, with EW’s critic calling the director “a filmmaker who remains in total control of his once-in-a-generation gifts and utilizes them to synthesize story and history into something new.” — R.E.

Where to watch Da 5 Bloods : Netflix

Director: Spike Lee

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr.

Related content: The Awardist podcast: Delroy Lindo on his titanic performance in Da 5 Bloods

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Hacksaw Ridge is a gripping war film whose protagonist is ironically a pacifist. Based on the true story of Desmond Doss, a Seventh-day Adventist who served as a combat medic during World War II and consciously refused to use a weapon, the film delves into his belief system leading up to and during the war, and his struggle to stay devoted to his cause. 

Andrew Garfield earned an Oscar nomination for his earnest performance as Doss, and the film, while a smidge too sentimental in the homefront first half, is riveting in its battle-heavy second. “The latter — a bone-rattling shock-and-awe of blasted limbs and spilled intestines,” EW’s critic writes , “is infinitely more affecting than the former.” — K.J.

Where to watch Hacksaw Ridge : Netflix

EW grade: B ( read the review )

Director: Mel Gibson

Cast: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington , Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving , Rachel Griffiths , Vince Vaughn , Richard Pyros

Related content: Hacksaw Ridge trailer: Andrew Garfield goes to war without a gun

The King (2019)

William Shakespeare ’s plays Henry IV and Henry V take the backseat for a new look at the wartorn and political landscape of Henry V’s rise to power. Timothée Chalamet stars as the young king, bowl-cut and all, as he navigates the fight for the crown across feudal England and France. Chalamet and costar Robert Pattinson are the film’s standouts, with eccentric looks and passionate monologues. 

The action is gritty, “a series of grand battleground set pieces,” EW’s critic cites , recalling images of Game of Thrones ’ Battle of the Bastards. And according to Chalamet , these war scenes and duels are suffocating and intense, “properly messy and dangerous.” — R.E.

Where to watch The King : Netflix

Director: David Michôd

Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton , Lily-Rose Depp , Ben Mendelsohn , Sean Harris

Related content: The best drama movies on Netflix

Outlaw King (2018)

David Eustace/Netfix

This medieval war drama transports us back to the early 1300s in Scotland, where Robert the Bruce ( Chris Pine ) gradually ascends to King of Scots. Hoping to free Scotland from England’s tyranny, he leads his country in battle against the English army. 

While not groundbreaking in its approach, Outlaw King is a reliably bloody (and muddy) epic full of heavy skirmishes. Director David Mackenzie “films it beautifully in the natural light of candles, torches, and overcast skies,” writes EW’s critic , “and there’s a solidness to the old-fashioned conventions of his storytelling.” — K.J.

Where to watch Outlaw King : Netflix

EW grade: B+ ( read the review )

Director: David Mackenzie

Cast: Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Florence Pugh , Billy Howle, Sam Spruell, Tony Curran, Callan Mulvey, James Cosmo, Stephen Dillane

Related content: Chris Pine on bringing Robert the Bruce's story to Netflix in Outlaw King

The Outpost (2020)

Visceral and raw in its recreation of the Battle of Kamdesh, this action drama follows American soldiers during one of the War in Afghanistan’s deadliest days. At a precarious outpost near the town of Kamdesh, the soldiers face constant threats from the Taliban, which culminate in a bloody fight depicted over the course of a pulse-pounding 40 minutes. 

While Hollywood isn’t always on the money when it comes to adapting true stories of war, The Outpost has been approved by veterans — including one of the men in the real-life unit . — K.J.

Where to watch The Outpost : Netflix

Director: Rod Lurie

Cast: Scott Eastwood , Caleb Landry Jones , Orlando Bloom , Jack Kesy, Cory Hardrict, Milo Gibson, Jacob Scipio, Taylor John Smith

Related content: How war drama The Outpost recreates one of the bloodiest battles in Afghanistan

Starship Troopers (1997)

What if Star Wars was a politically-charged cult classic? That’s the result of Starship Troopers , a 1997 sci-fi movie set in a fascist, militaristic future where the human race battles giant alien bugs. Based on the book by Robert A. Heinlein, the film has action stars, gross creatures, tons of slime, and nonstop thrills. 

Much of its budget went to the VFX department to create the “ film’s razor-taloned, plasma-spewing intergalactic beasties ,” and it pays off visually. While it may not be the greatest war film or even the best sci-fi one, Starship Troopers is a lot of guns-blazing fun and worth checking out for an action-packed movie night. — R.E.

Where to watch Starship Troopers : Netflix

Director: Paul Verhoeven

Cast: Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards , Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris , Patrick Muldoon, Michael Ironside

Related content: Starship Troopers cast: Where are they now?

Unbroken (2014)

Universal Pictures

Unbroken chronicles the real-life story of Olympic distance runner Louis Zamperini and his harrowing survival during World War II. Zamperini was on a search-and-rescue mission in 1943 when his plane experienced engine failure and crashed in the ocean, leaving him stranded at sea with two crewmates for weeks. Japanese sailors captured him and he subsequently was made a prisoner of war. 

Jack O'Connell plays Zamperini in a performance EW’s critic calls “totally hypnotic,” and director Angelina Jolie ’s production is handsomely mounted, netting Oscar nominations for its cinematography and sound. — K.J.

Where to watch Unbroken : Netflix

Director: Angelina Jolie

Cast: Jack O'Connell, Domhnall Gleeson , Miyavi, Garrett Hedlund , Finn Wittrock

Related content: Watch Angelina Jolie discuss the true story behind Unbroken

The White Helmets (2016)

This sobering documentary short film centers on the efforts of Syrian Civil Defence volunteers to save innocent civilians in the country’s ongoing civil war. Known as the White Helmets, these everyday heroes risk their lives to get victims of missile strikes and bombings to safety.

Following three men from the organization, the film provides a gripping on-the-ground account as they train in Turkey and venture into unpredictable territory in Syria. As one of the volunteers states in the film — which won the 2017 Oscar for Best Documentary Short: “In the White Helmets we have a motto: To save a life is to save all of humanity.” — K.J.

Where to watch The White Helmets : Netflix

Director: Orlando von Einsiedel

Cast: Khalid Farah, Mohammed Farah, Abu Omar, Raed Saleh

Related content: Oscars 2017: The White Helmets wins Best Documentary Short

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Project 2025 shakes up leadership after criticism from Democrats and Trump, but says work goes on

FILE - Paul Dans, director of Project 2025 at the Heritage Foundation, speaks at the National Religious Broadcasters convention, Feb. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

FILE - An American flag is seen upside down at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, May 31, 2024. The conservative think tank that is planning for a complete overhaul of the federal government in the event of a Republican presidential win is suggesting that President Joe Biden might try to hold the White House “by force” if he loses the November election. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

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NEW YORK (AP) — The director of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 vision for a complete overhaul of the federal government stepped down Tuesday after blowback from Donald Trump’s campaign, which has tried to disavow the program created by many of the former president’s allies and former aides.

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said Paul Dans’ exit comes after the project “completed exactly what it set out to do.” Roberts, who has emerged as a chief spokesman for the effort, plans to lead Project 2025 going forward.

“Our collective efforts to build a personnel apparatus for policymakers of all levels — federal, state, and local — will continue,” Roberts said.

What started as an obscure far-right wish list is now a focal point in the 2024 campaign. Democrats for the past several months have made Project 2025 a key election-year cudgel, pointing to the ultraconservative policy blueprint as a glimpse into how extreme another Trump administration could be.

The nearly 1,000-page handbook lays out sweeping changes in the federal government, including altering personnel rules to ensure government workers are more loyal to the president. Heritage is building a database of potential new hires to staff a second Trump White House.

Yet Trump has repeatedly disavowed the document, saying on social media he hasn’t read it and doesn’t know anything about it. At a rally in Michigan earlier this month, he said Project 2025 was written by people on the “severe right” and some of the things in it are “seriously extreme.”

“President Trump’s campaign has been very clear for over a year that Project 2025 had nothing to do with the campaign, did not speak for the campaign, and should not be associated with the campaign or the President in any way,” Trump campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a statement.

They said, “Reports of Project 2025’s demise would be greatly welcomed and should serve as notice to anyone or any group trying to misrepresent their influence with President Trump and his campaign — it will not end well for you.”

But Ohio Sen. JD Vance , Trump’s running mate, wrote a foreword to a forthcoming book by Roberts in which he lauds the Heritage Foundation’s work. A copy of the foreword was obtained by The Associated Press.

“The Heritage Foundation isn’t some random outpost on Capitol Hill; it is and has been the most influential engine of ideas for Republicans from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump,” wrote Vance.

Quoting Roberts elsewhere in the book, Vance writes: ″We are now all realizing that it’s time to circle the wagons and load the muskets. In the fights that lay ahead, these ideas are an essential weapon.”

Trump campaign representatives did not respond to messages inquiring about whether the campaign asked or pushed for Dans to step down from the project. The Heritage Foundation said Dans left voluntarily and it was not under pressure from the Trump campaign. Dans didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Project 2025 has many ties to Trump’s orbit

In many ways, Project 2025 served as a potential far-right White House in waiting, a constellation of outside groups that would be ready for action if Trump wins a second term.

The project included not only the detailed policy proposals that Trump could put into place on day one at the White House. Project 2025 was also building a personnel database of resumes for potential hires, drawing Americans to Washington to staff a new Trump administration.

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Many Trump allies and former top aides contributed to the project. Dans formerly worked as a personnel official for the Trump administration. And Trump regularly campaigns on many of the same proposals in the Project 2025 book — from mass deportations to upending the Justice Department — though some of its other proposals, including further taxes on tips , conflict with some of what Trump has pledged on the campaign trail.

It was clear that Project 2025 was becoming a liability for Trump and the Republican Party.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign and top Democrats have repeatedly tied Trump to Project 2025 as they argue against a second term for the former president.

The Harris campaign said Project 2025 remains linked to Trump’s agenda, written by his allies for him to “inflict” on the country.

“Hiding the 920-page blueprint from the American people doesn’t make it less real — in fact, it should make voters more concerned about what else Trump and his allies are hiding,” said Harris for President Campaign Manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez.

For months Trump’s campaign had warned outside groups, and Heritage in particular, that they did not speak for the former president.

In an interview from the Republican convention first published by Politico, LaCivita said Project 2025 was a problem because “the issues that are going to win us this campaign are not the issues that they want to talk about.”

It was almost certain than Trump’s campaign forced the shakeup, said one former Heritage aide.

Trump’s team was well aware it couldn’t risk any missteps from Heritage in this final stretch ahead of the election.

By announcing the departure, Roberts appeared to be sending a signal to the Trump campaign that changes were being made at Heritage to tamp down any concerns over Project 2025, said another conservative familiar with the situation.

If Trump wins the White House, he almost certainly will need to rely on Heritage and other outside entities to help quickly staff a new administration, the person said.

That person and the former aide would only talk on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

Heritage says Project 2025 is not going away

Project 2025’s website will remain live and the group will continue vetting resumes for its nearly 20,000-person database of potential officials eager to execute its vision for government, the Heritage Foundation said Tuesday.

The group said Dans, who had started the project from scratch more than two years ago, will leave the Heritage Foundation in August. Roberts will now run Project 2025 operations.

Roberts has faced criticism in recent weeks after he said on an episode of former Trump aide Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast that the country is in the midst of a “second American Revolution” that will be bloodless “if the left allows it to be.”

Earlier this month, in an interview before beginning a prison sentence for defying a congressional subpoena, Bannon mentioned Roberts as the type of leader who could land a top job in a Trump White House.

Mascaro reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here . The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, chaz's journal, great movies, contributors, the last front.

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"The Last Front" is a first-rate calling-card movie—a medium-budget project that feels much bigger because it puts all the money on the screen, as studio executives like to say, and that will make people want to trust first-time director Julien Hayet-Kerknawi with bigger budgets moving forward. But it seems more likely that it'll be a Dwayne Johnson action thriller than a historical drama, which is troubling considering the subject matter of the film: the attempts to liberate a small Belgian farming community from German troops who've occupied it during World War I, and the unrelenting cruelty that invading soldiers inflict on civilian populations under the guise of carrying out orders.

The two main characters are Leonard Lambert ( Iain Glen )—a soft-spoken widower who lives on a farm with his daughter Johanna ( Emma Dupont ) and his son Adrien ( James Downie )—and a German army officer, Lt. Laurentz ( Joe Anderson ). On top of his obvious psychological problems (including psychosis, a hair-trigger temper, and alcoholism), Laurentz is a world-class scumbag villain, the kind you spend an entire movie rooting for somebody to murder as gruesomely as possible.

This is not a shades-of-grey kind of movie. Nor is it one where the characters have more than two dimensions or the hint of a personal life beyond their immediate plot function. Lambert is, it appears, a committed pacifist who would rather avoid confrontation than participate in it (his last name begins with "Lamb" after all). At the same time, Laurentz is so detestable and chaotic that his superior officer and actual dad, Commander Maximilian ( Philippe Brenninkmeyer ), calls him a monster and briefly ends up having the lad's pistol pointed at his forehead. The rest of the characters—including Adrien's girlfriend Louise ( Sasha Luss ) and her father, Dr. Janssen ( Koen De Bouw ), and the parish priest Father Michael ( David Calder )—are mainly there to create suspense as to whether they'll be tormented or murdered by Laurentz, whose solution to every problem is to reach for his gun. (Gotta hand it to the guy: he's not big on delegating. He personally kills so many people in this movie that you start to wonder why he brought those other folks with him.) 

The violence is circumscribed, usually showing you just enough gore and/or pain to get across the idea that war is indeed hell (though the goopy sound effects and screams fill in the blanks as far as horrors-of-war). But the more "The Last Front" seems to want to speak seriously to the inhumanity of wartime, the less I was inclined to trust it because it traffics in the visual and aural language of the red-meat revenge thriller. At many points, connoisseurs of action cinema may be reminded of films starring and/or directed by Mel Gibson, such as " The Patriot ," " Braveheart ," and " Hacksaw Ridge " that genuflect toward some kind of larger statement about a certain historical period but end up being functionally indistinguishable from a 1980s Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone picture where one man can become an army. 

Considering that other villagers almost immediately start suggesting that Lambert is the perfect guy to lead a rebellion against the Germans—plus the fact that Glen is best known for spending eight seasons on "Game of Thrones" playing the only thoughtful guy in a room full of petty, bloodthirsty maniacs, then dutifully kicking butt, often on horseback—it's mystifying that the film spends so much time letting us watch the poor man do the "to be or not to be" thing. Why not skip to the part where he takes up arms against a sea of troubles? This is not a psychodrama--there's not a whole lot of "psych" to dramatize--so there's no reason to delay the inevitable scenes of Lambert going full John Wayne on the Huns. 

There are compensatory pleasures. The supporting performances are above and beyond, and Glen is so likable and so believable as a decent man pushed too far that if this film does well, he might be in line to have a late-in-life career renaissance in another of the senior action flicks that have become ubiquitous. The cinematography by Xavier Van D'huynslager puts the widescreen format to excellent use in presenting information and blocking large numbers of people, something many contemporary filmmakers no longer seem to know how to do. The action sequences are lean and clean; you know what's happening, what's at stake, and why things turned out as they did. Frederik Van de Moortel's score is fundamentally honest in that it's more "'80s action thriller" than "Oh, the humanity!" It's superb at escalating tension in the lead-up to violence, and there's a brilliant moment in the second half where he introduces what sounds like distorted and truncated feedback loops, as if to suggest that the character the scene is focused on is losing his grip on reality. 

If Liam Neeson ever wants to get back into the " Taken " business, he could save time by hiring this entire team, including Glen as the hero's previously unmentioned cousin Nigel, who used to work for MI-6. I don't know if that's the impression the filmmakers wanted to leave, but that's what comes across.

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

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Film credits.

The Last Front (2024)

Iain Glen as Leonard

Sasha Luss as Louise

Joe Anderson as Laurentz

David Calder as Father Michael

James Downie as Adrien

Koen De Bouw as Dr. Janssen

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