Outpost

Jake Tapper's non-fiction book "The Outpost: The Untold Story of American Valor" brought to life by director Rod Lurie (“The Contender”) and screenwriters Paul Tamasi (“Patriots Day”) and Eric Johnson (“Star Hours”) in the film “The Outpost,”. A superb script, inspired direction and brilliant cinematography combine to immerse viewers in the harsh reality of a desperate situation that turns out to be a grim victory.

U.S. Army Outpost Keating, located in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, is vital to working with local residents in the battle against the Taliban. But it is also in an untenable position and is slated to be dismantled eventually. Before this could happen, mistakes with the locals led to a major assault on the outpost. Keating's leadership and courage defended him at the cost of eight American soldiers, resulting in the death of approximately 150 Taliban fighters.

Johnson's script doesn't hesitate to depict the daily life of a combat soldier, from the aggressive camaraderie among those who get along and don't get along with each other, to the unusual and sometimes obscene ways they make do in such a stressful environment. At no point does he demonstrate the dangers of living in such a zone, from daily sniper attacks to tenuous relationships with allies and tribal elders. Lurie enters the script with enthusiasm, bringing it into the realistic, sometimes difficult to watch world that so many soldiers live in every day. He doesn't waste any extra time promoting any particular character. Instead, he creates a genuine feeling that these people are a band of brothers.

Every actor could just as easily serve in the US Army because he fits his role so well. Scott Eastwood does a great job as Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha, but Caleb Landry Jones stands out. Like the real-life Staff Sergeant Ty Carter, he goes beyond the call of duty to create a powerful portrayal of the Medal of Honor recipient.

The camera work leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination, creating a completely immersive world that sometimes gets frantic as the battle unfolds. Moving from one location to another and showing separate groups trying to figure out a situation can quickly lose audience. But Lorenzo Senatore is in complete control of the cinematographer, controlling the action and tracking it easily.

As the film ends, we see the service awards received by the heroes of this battle. As the credits roll, the eight fallen soldiers are pictured next to the actors who played them. This is another example of how respectful everyone involved in the production of this film is to those who fight in real wars.

In the "Outpost" There may be scenes that some viewers may find too violent. However, it is an honest, raw and sometimes disturbing portrayal of events that might otherwise fade into the obscurity of war archives. The memory must never be lost - both to avoid mistakes made from a military point of view, and for every person who was at Keating that day.