‘Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant’ Review (Amazon Prime)
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim, Sean Sagar, Jason Wong, Rhys Yates, Christian Ochoa Lavernia, Bobby Schofield, Emily Beecham, Jonny Lee Miller, Alexander Ludwig | Written by Guy Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson, Marn Davies | Directed by Guy Ritchie
As on-screen text reads, the U.S. responded to 9/11 by deploying troops to Afghanistan. As the number of troops rose across the next decade, the U.S. military employed Afghan interpreters under an agreement that they would be eligible for Special Immigration Visas and relocation to America. That work is seen as the film flashes to 2018, when a routine check ends with a vehicle explosion and lives lost.
Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) leads a unit whose mission is to locate Taliban firearms and munitions, which includes a replacement interpreter in the form of Ahmed (Dar Salim). While considerably disliked, the interpreter proves himself a valuable member as he deduces an ambush lurking ahead of the unit. After another raid ends in a massacre with Kinley and Ahmed as the only survivors, the pair must travel 100 clicks by foot to safety.
What unfolds across the first half is a tense scenario, as the duo journey across rocky terrain while hunted by the Taliban. Matters grow more difficult after John is severely injured, leaving Ahmed to risk his life carrying the sergeant to safety. Tension is effectively crafted across this long journey, with the heavy price on their heads conveyed as the pair pass devastated homes resulting from the Taliban’s destructive search.
The second half changes tactics to focus on the aftermath where, despite Ahmed’s heroism, he and his family are not granted the safe passage to America they were promised. The frustrating bureaucracy and red tape have left their lives in danger, courtesy of an unfair system which prevents the U.S. military from fulfilling their own promises. Amidst a genre which can deliver tiresome jingoistic features, it’s refreshing how the screenplay provides thoughtful commentary questioning what the war will accomplish, highlighted with a warning that defeating the Taliban here will not actually stop them.
Central to this film is the effective pairing, with Gyllenhaal delivering a reliable presence as the determined soldier whose priorities change once he discovers the injustices made. The film is stolen by Salim, who brings a powerhouse performance as the strong-minded mechanic turned interpreter that cares for his family, carrying a quiet ferocity that’s ready to be unleashed in the face of danger.
Co-writer/director Guy Ritchie shatters expectations for this feature, delivering something more akin to a Paul Greengrass feature instead of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. That doesn’t mean the film’s bereft of his flourishes, with on-screen explanations of military terms feeling part of his style. When forgettable unit members are referred to by their call signs which include Jizzy and Tom Cat, they join the pantheon of Ritchie’s uniquely named characters which includes Soap, Bullet Tooth Tony, and Kung-Fu George.
It gives the director a chance to spread his wings, as seen during an effective one-shot sequence where Ahmed evades the Taliban and an interesting segment where John recalls the lengths the interpreter took to help him. Aiding matters are well-shot action and Christopher Benstead’s exceptional score, which breathes life through this engaging war drama.
**** 4/5
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant is available to watch now on Amazon Prime Video.
