'Lone Survivor' lacks depth or political examination
'Survivor' stars Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, and Emile Hirsch.
'Lone Survivor' stars Mark Wahlberg.
Universal Pictures
The title of “Lone Survivor,” written and directed by Peter Berg, tells it all. Set in 2005 in Afghanistan, it tells the story (based on the memoir of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell) of a group of US soldiers who find themselves ambushed in hostile territory.
Mark Wahlberg plays Luttrell. He is, natch, the lone survivor, but his struggle, with the other men (played by, among others, Ben Foster and Emile Hirsch), is rendered in conspicuously violent detail, with every gnash and splatter duly recorded. Not much depth or political examination here. The film works best as a survivalist’s manual. Grade: B- (Rated R for strong bloody war violence and pervasive language.)