Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant
review by Bobby Blakey
Director Guy Ritchie continues to bring some great films to audiences including his Sherlock Holmes series, The Gentleman, Aladdin and more recently Wrath of Man. His latest film The Covenant teams him up with Jake Gyllenhaal and Dar Salim taking on a military war genre. The film features a great cast including Antony Starr, Alexander Ludwig, Bobby Schofield, Emily Beecham and Jonny Lee Miller. Could this flick bring the intense war elements to life or will it fail to translate?
Guy Ritchie's The Covenant follows US Army Sergeant John Kinley and Afghan interpreter Ahmed. After an ambush, Ahmed goes to Herculean lengths to save Kinley’s life. When Kinley learns that Ahmed and his family were not given safe passage to America as promised, he must repay his debt by returning to the war zone to retrieve them before the Taliban hunts them down first.
I have been wanting to see this film since I saw the first trailer. The concept alone lent itself to the possibility of something action packed and interesting and it brought all that to the table along with some heartbreaking elements. On the surface the film is just another war flick, but it is really focusing on the betrayal of these interpreter’s that were promised so much for helping out soldiers there.
The film is crafted to precision with the first act of the film all about the meeting of the Sergeant and interpreter and the ensuing battles that occur leading to their fight for survival. Filled with intense action and character building this would have been enough for the movie alone, but then the next act takes it down a notch to something else. Coming off the
action we delve into the personal trauma and guilt that the soldiers deal with as he tries to set his next move and adapt back to normal life.
Again all of this was enough, but then the third act is the rescue mission infused with more action and intensity to bring it all home. Every element of this film delivers everything I expected and keeps you invested with these characters and their stories. While the majority of it is following Gyllenhaal it does still get the feeling of dual arcs with Ahmed as well. Both of these guys are so good here and really bring the emotion and depth needed to make them work. These are two men from different worlds and ideals, but connect on a level that doesn’t need words.
Filled with great action, intrigue and brotherhood this film is even better than I had expected. It is the kind of story that would have normal person pissed when you see the states of interpreter’s that have been screwed over and killed due to the lack of US follow up on their agreed terms. It is not only a great dramatic action piece, but a film that shines a light on the atrocities of war and betrayal of government for those that put their lives on the line for us.
Decide for yourself and grab your copy of Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant when it hits Blu-ray and DVD on June 30th from MGM and Warner Bros Home Entertainment.