12 Strong

If you want action that respects the story underneath it, 12 Strong is available in Australia on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Chris Hemsworth is the obvious draw, but the supporting cast gives the action its context. Put it on tonight on Netflix and see for yourself.

12 Strong is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The choreography in 12 Strong serves the story instead of interrupting it. A team of special forces head into Afghanistan in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks in an attempt to dismantle the Taliban. Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon lead a cast that earns every set piece rather than just filling it. It hit screens in 2018. The action sequences are expensive-looking without drawing attention to their own budget — they serve the story rather than interrupting it. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

12 Strong is the kind of thing you put on to unwind and find yourself sitting forward twenty minutes in. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Chris Hemsworth is the obvious draw, but the supporting cast gives the action the context it needs to land. The action holds up because the character work underneath it never lets up.