The Film
It's hard to imagine Michael Bay could make a war movie and not have stuff blowing up every 13 seconds. However, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi goes a lot deeper than his typical fare.
Deeper than Transformers: Age of Extinction? That doesn't sound too hard to do, but the filmmaker does manage to tell an actual story here. To some extent, he tells a bit too much story. At 144 minutes, 13 Hours often feels more like a runtime than a film title. That wouldn't be a bad thing, but the director definitely could have snipped out some of the sap.
Still, it's an entertaining film and an important piece of recent history. Based on a true story (as well as Mitchell Zuckoff's 2014 book, 13 Hours), the film turns the 2012 Benghazi attack into a blockbuster. More specifically, it focuses on the six-man team involved in that event. Tyrone "Rone" Woods (James Badge Dale) and Jack Silva (John Krasinski) definitely get the most screen time, but you'll have enough emotion to spare for Mark "Oz" Geist (Max Martini), John "Tig" Tiegen (Dominig Fumusa), Kris "Tanto" Paronto (Pablo Schreiber), and Boon (David Denman).
There are plenty of others featured as well, but screenwriter Chuck Hogan (The Strain) needed to make cuts somewhere. That includes a lot of the political aftermath. Although it's referenced, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi really focuses on what went down in Libya. More importantly, it focuses on all of the people who risked their lives. Whether or not this version is even remotely accurate is another story, but Geist, Tiegen, and Paronto are all over the extras, and their stamp of approval is good enough for me.
That said, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is sort of lengthy, which could have been remiedied by chopping out some of those cheesy lines. Despite those faults, it's surprisingly entertaining. That's because Bay never skimps on the action. After all, that's when he's at his best -- and when this movie is at its best as well.
Thirsty for more? Check out Matthew Passantino's theatrical review of 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.
The Picture
Despite the subject matter, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi isn't your typical war film -- at least not from an image standpoint. Instead of the usual dingy color palette, the film is bursting with all sorts of oranges, greens, reds, and yellows. The gorgeous blue skies are a particular standout, both during daytime scenes and especially at night. The detail is equally impressive throughout, with sharp shots of facial hair, glistening pool water, and even a lot of the battle carnage. There's a bit of noise during the film's most chaotic scenes, but it shouldn't detract from your viewing experience one bit. Michael Bay is a connoisseur of eye candy and this Blu-ray does not disappoint.
The Sound
Paramount wisely gave this film a Dolby Atmos track. Sure, there are a lot of quiet moments that build suspense and allow the dialogue to shine. That said, it's the action that's going to draw you into this movie, and Dolby Atmos will keep you glued. Crackling fire races across the ceilings inside the compound and debris falls from overhead, but that doesn't even scratch the surface of the immersive moments in this movie. There's also an insane amount of gunfire and explosions from shotguns, machine guns, rocket launchers, mortars, and pretty much every other type of wartime weapon you can imagine. All of that sound is also really detailed, sometimes to the point where you can hear the bullets piercing walls and skin. Of course, too much is never enough here. It's the kind of track that will give you goosebumps.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
At 144 minutes, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is a bit on the lengthy side. Maybe they could have chopped out a few of the more cringe-worthy quotes. ("None of you have to go, but we're the only hope they have." "You're not giving orders. You're in my world now." "Just another Tuesday night in Benghazi!") Still, Michael Bay knows how to deliver action -- and this film has plenty of that. It also has plenty of eye (and ear) candy. If you're equipped for Dolby Atmos, that track alone makes 13 Hours worth picking up.
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