Unfortunately the movie's central philosophical conflict, between the captain and an Afghan warlord, features dialogue like "Your mission will fail because you fear death."

| Mar 10, 2020

This is an intense, serious war film.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 9, 2018

The action is frequent and gripping, the heroism present but understated, and the sense of tactical complexity has survived the script-writing process, so there is more geo-political subtlety than one expects from a post-9/11 American war movie.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 8, 2018

As pointless and as unnecessarily long as the conflict that inspired it.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 31, 2018

Like so many muscles in Hollywood, it all feels rather fake: steroidal and pumped up rather than legitimately hard-won.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 29, 2018

Yes, it's intense jingoistic nonsense and full of hilarious caricatures - watch out for US enemy No 1, the evil Arab Mullah Razzan, played by Numan Acar in deadpan homage to Aladdin's cartoon nemesis Jafar.

| Original Score: 1/5 | Jan 26, 2018

The true story is served well enough -- to the point where you have a huge amount of respect for these men when you leave the theater.

| Original Score: B | Jan 26, 2018

12 Strong combines formidable technique with a very simple-minded and jingoistic perspective on the American war on terror.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 25, 2018

It's all very easy: a feelgood war tale from what feels like a distant age.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 25, 2018

An effective - if overly simplistic - neo-Western that's eventually carried over the line by a sparky ensemble cast.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 25, 2018

12 Strong passes by doggedly and in a haze, a theatre of war which gives us back row seats rather than throwing us properly into the thick of things.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 25, 2018

A predictable telling of an extraordinary tale. The action sequences and the performances elevate it though.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 25, 2018

The Horse Soldiers' story is unconventional, and the film-produced by uber-slickster Jerry Bruckheimer-has been shaped along conventional war-movie lines.

| Jan 22, 2018

It's all solid from a technical perspective. Where the film could have used more power is in its narrative momentum.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jan 20, 2018

There's just as much to like here as there is to be frustrated with, the final product a mixed bag of good intentions, decent ideas and missed opportunities.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jan 19, 2018

Never delves deep enough to examine the larger involvement of the U.S. and those ramifications, but "12 Strong" manages to infuse heart and character into this adrenaline-fueled war film

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jan 19, 2018

Fuglsig's feature debut is ultimately less an action movie and more a procedural, one in which incremental gains and minimal casualties are as much as can be hoped for.

| Original Score: C+ | Jan 19, 2018

Put aside your hindsight and at least you'll be rewarded with some invigorating action.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jan 19, 2018

"12 Strong" does its best to tell a story of heroism from a dark chapter in our history, but its reality is much more complicated.

| Original Score: C | Jan 19, 2018

Hemsworth, Shannon, and Pena create real, relatable and yet heroic characters, and seeing them ride into battle on horseback is genuinely moving and inspiring.

| Original Score: B | Jan 19, 2018