The story opens with a helicopter full of soldiers arriving at their new assignment at a remote outpost in Afghanistan. Sergeant Clint Romesha (Scott Eastwood) is immediately aghast at the poor placement of the outpost. It is in a deep valley with towering mountains all around. He views it as indefensible. Pot shots are a daily occurrence. However, Captain Keating (Orlando Bloom) has a good relationship with the locals and manages to keep the conflict at a low simmer. When his replacement arrives, the heat rises to a boil. On October 3, 2009, hundreds of Taliban fighters attacked. But for the tenacity of the soldiers and the arrival of air support, the base would surely have been overrun.
The story is told primarily from the views of Sgt. Romesha and Specialist Ty Carter (Caleb Landry Jones). Romesha is a highly respected soldier who is competent and willing to speak his mind. By contrast, Carter is a loner who has not bonded well with his fellow soldiers. When the fight comes and Romesha repeatedly takes charge and presses the attack, that is expected. When Carter repeatedly puts himself at risk to aid soldiers, one cannot help but admire him. Caleb Landry Jones is amazing in the role, clearly the stand out performance.
All the soldiers are real and at least one played himself in this movie. The Battle of Kamdesh resulted in the death of eight US soldiers and the abandonment of the outpost. Both Romesha and Carter were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the battle.
Highly recommended.
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