“You’re NOT C.I.A.—You’re Hired Help!”
That statement from 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI pretty well describes what the security contractors found themselves in upon their arrival in Benghazi.
13 HOURS is producer-director Michael Bay’s dramatic action-thriller about the attack of the secret U.S. compound in Libya—and the security team struggling to make sense out of chaos.
It is a powerful reenactment of the events of September 11, 2012 at the compound that led to the death of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and others while confusion reigned supreme at the nearby C.I.A. annex.
Security contractors?
Translation: highly skilled military veterans who previously had served as Navy Seals and in special forces and now hired as rent-a-cops of sorts.
Personally, I thought I knew what went down in Benghazi, but only in generalities.
Little did I know the kind of ‘Clusterf***’ it actually was.
Director Michael Bay sets it all in the film’s opening scene where he has the REAL surviving security contractors point to the authenticity of what we’re about to experience.
These four heroes also served as advisors to the controversial production—making sure that it all plays out the way it actually happened.
So is 13 HOURS political?
That depends on one’s definition of the term.
The fact that our military failed to intervene in the attack without first gaining permission “from the top” certainly points fingers. Especially since they supposedly were unable to get a hold of those officials.
I would love to be a fly on the wall while certain high ranking current and former government big shots screen this movie……uh, Hillary Clinton, for one!
As to the casting of 13 HOURS, director Bay pretty well stayed away from utilizing major stars in key roles.
Big names would have distracted from the reality of it all.
He DID make one exception though by casting John Krasinski as former Navy Seal Jack Silva.
Michael Bay is probably best known as an action director with movies such as PEARL HARBOR, THE ISLAND, ARMAGEDDON and TRANSFORMERS under his belt.
With 13 HOURS he tackles a timely and definitely sensitive subject—and does it extremely well.
My score: B.
(Reviewed at Cinemark Palace)
Protection of a consulate in a country in utter chaos? Good luck with that.
I would not want that duty, that duty is for suicidals.
Who would’ve thought the Transformers genius would pull of something like this?