Directed by Guy Ritchie, The Pact is a war film with the potential to please even those fans who turn up their noses at the genre.
Proving his experience behind the camera, director Guy Ritchie, known for films such as Games, tricks and two smoking barrels AND crime tycoons delivers another masterpiece to the public. It’s about action movie The dealone war thriller which has all the elements necessary to make the viewer salivate in front of the TV — here, it means many shootouts, many chases and a good dose of beatings —, as well as a plot so well connected as to make two hours in front of the screen go by quickly, without strain the audience.
Set in the Middle East, the film is set against the backdrop of the War in Afghanistan and the clashes between the United States and the Taliban, the fundamentalist group that dominates the country. Without much ado, we are introduced to John, a character played brilliantly by Jake Gyllenhaal, an honest American general who must choose an interpreter to accompany him on future missions.
Not knowing much about the candidates, she selects Ahmed (Dar Salim), a local man who is fluent in four languages including English. It is from that moment on that the two begin to work side by side, creating a relationship initially based on respect and hierarchy, but which soon evolves into friendship and companionship.
After many battles, when almost all American soldiers have been killed, only the two of them are left. But, in an ambush, John is captured and presumed dead. Left alone, Ahmed realizes that his friend is still alive and does everything to save him, including a pilgrimage on foot carrying him on his back. Scenic exaggeration which, despite being almost implausible, composes the story well.
At this point in the plot the talent of Salim is (even more) evident, an actor who already had other feature films in his curriculum such as War AND black crab, and whose performance steals the show. Without many lines, also because he is alone, the actor conveys all the pain, despair and tiredness that his character is feeling in his eyes.
His exchange with Gyllenhaal is also pleasant and the two manage to support the film alone, even when good supporting actors appear, because they become half of the other. And this is how the first half of the feature film concludes, delivering to the viewer everything expected of a war film: many fights in a harsh and barren setting, but without giving up a good story.
The second half brings more emotional layers
In the second part, however, the director puts shots aside to focus on the emotional layers of the characters. John returns to the United States and leads a comfortable life alongside his son and wife as he is consumed by memories of the war. Ahmed, on the other hand, is considered by the Taliban to be a traitor to his country and lives from house to house, hiding with his family.
Knowing this, John decides to return to Afghanistan to obtain the visas that the United States had promised to his colleague, in a typical hero’s journey, which despite being so common does not fall into the banal.
It is worth saying that, without losing one’s breath, The deal managed to put the action aside to focus on the drama masterfully. Ahmed and John are on opposite sides, but both share the anguish of being a former war soldier. There are also two supporting actresses key to the dramatic charge: Emily Beecham who plays John’s wife and Fariba Sheikhan who plays Ahmed’s wife.
Even with very little screen time, the women have managed to convey to the audience the feeling of anguish when they see their husbands in dangerous situations.
The United States is the hero… but not so much
Since we are talking about compliments, there is one important point that deserves to be highlighted. Like (almost) all feature films produced in the United States, the ending could only show the country as the great savior of the homeland. it seems that The deal it does not bow so easily to US hegemony.
Despite portraying the country’s soldiers as good guys and Taliban members as bad guys, the film’s ending makes it clear how the government of the giant of America did not support the thousands of interpreters who fought in the war, letting them die. And this is one of the film’s great successes, as it portrays a side of war that has been purposely erased.
Finally, what can be said with confidence is that The deal it’s an excellent war filmwhich will appeal to fans of the genre who haven’t seen such well-made films in a long time, and also to those who aren’t even big fans of action movies, but love a good drama and a good script.
The big leap of the cat was that Guy Ritchie didn’t forget the backstory to focus only on the fight scenes, nor did he create over-the-top shots bordering on the ridiculous, as he did with Jung Byung-gil in CarterFor example.
So, if you’re interested and want to give the feature a shot, you can now play on Prime Video.
Trending on Canaltech:
- 10 characters that DC copied from Marvel to the face
- The Windows 11 update brings more than 15 new features and is available to everyone
- Why didn’t the universe start with a singularity?
- Android has a new logo confirmed by Google
- 10 Characters Marvel Copied From DC To The Face
- Google launches a professional course in digital marketing and e-commerce
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
