A Debt Owed, a Debt Paid

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MOVIE REVIEW
The Covenant
–

Genre: Action, Thriller, War
Year Released: 2023
Runtime: 2h 3m
Director(s): Guy Ritchie
Writer(s): Guy Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson, Marn Davies
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim, Antony Starr, Alexander Ludwig, Sean Sagar, Bobby Schofield, Emily Beecham, Jonny Lee Miller
Where To Watch: streaming on Amazon Prime Video, available on Blu-ray; click here www.amazon.com to order

RAVING REVIEW: If you’re in the market for an action-filled, military propaganda-fueled, white knuckle, sphincter-clinching, thrill-ride war movie, then you should probably look elsewhere. While there are firefights and explosions in THE COVENANT, what you’ll mostly find are incredibly intense moments, nuanced and deep human characters, and an up close and personal view of the Hell that millions of Afghan people have experienced for the last 20 years, and still experience today under the control of the ruthless Taliban. Action takes a back seat to an emotional, thought-provoking, and humanistic subject in this grueling picture from Director Guy Ritchie.

The year is 2018, and U.S. troops have been in Afghanistan for nearing two decades. THE COVENANT follows a small group of U.S. Army soldiers led by Sgt. John Kinley and their Afghan interpreter, Ahmed. Ahmed and Sgt. Kinley find themselves alone and on the run after a brutal ambush from Taliban forces, with Sgt. Kinley injured, their survival is up to the heroic Ahmed to pull him through miles of the mountainous Afghanistan wilderness to safety. With Ahmed saving Kinley’s life, Kinley returns to the state-side only to find that Ahmed has been placed on the Taliban’s Top-10 most wanted list and has gone underground into hiding with his family. Feeling that he is indebted to Ahmed, it is time that Sgt. Kinley repays Ahmed’s heroics and keeps to the unspoken covenant they made.

This story is one that is honestly as old as time. There is nothing new about the idea of one person saving another, leaving the saved to feel a debt to their hero. However, the way that the relationship between Kinley and Ahmed is built is filled with tension and suspicion. As the story progresses, we get to see a more in-depth look behind what makes each character tick, and we come to discover the true message of the film, which is brotherhood. These two men from vastly different cultures on opposite sides of the world are not so different from each other. They both have families, incredibly dangerous jobs, and a strong sense of purpose for doing what they do. In the end, Kinley and Ahmed are not American and Afghan, Sergeant and interpreter, or white and brown. They are two brothers who are bound by a bond, a trust that they will have each other’s six. When it hits the fan, they will be there for each other because their covenant is that strong.

Sgt Kinley, who is played by Jake Gyllenhaal (Donnie Darko, Jarhead, Night Crawler), is as intense and sharp as a razor’s edge. He’s stubborn and cocky but loyal to a T, and the tension that he brings to the role makes this one of Gyllenhaal’s best character works since Jarhead. Ahmed, who is played by Dar Salim (The Devil’s Double, Game of Thrones), is quiet, conservative, methodical, and stoic. He has reasons for everything he does. He’s incredibly cerebral, and Salim brings an almost personal attitude when playing him. Salim was truly the standout of this film, and I am incredibly excited to see more of him in the future.

The cinematography and direction of this film were gorgeous as well. I would think that it’d be difficult to make a desert look pretty, but they really pulled it off here. While the scenery sets a brutal and unforgiving tone to the picture, there are parts of this film that bring out its serenity. Lulls in Kinley and Ahmed’s escape from the Taliban are shown when they find sanctuary in nature. There are some almost surrealist scenes in the film, too, that I was a massive fan of. In particular, there is a scene where once Kinley is stateside, he goes into a drunken dream state and has visions that show him just what Ahmed did for him. This was beautifully and tastefully done.

This is a fantastic film, though I’m not so sure it’s for everyone. I think if you’re looking for a mindless, heroics-filled, action-action-packed war movie (and I’m not saying there is anything wrong with those types of movies. Everyone needs to shut their brains off sometimes, and those are great movies to do that with!) You’re not going to enjoy THE COVENANT. You need to be in a headspace that is going to allow you to open your inner self and absorb the humanistic message that lies between the fire and bullets. If you can do that, then you’re in for one heck of a treat because this flick is deep, and its message is an incredibly important one.

[photo courtesy of WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT, MGM]

MY SAG-AFTRA STRIKE STATEMENT:
As an advocate for creators, actors, and writers, I firmly stand with SAG-AFTRA in their current strike. The entertainment industry is built on these individuals’ extraordinary talents, and their contributions must be appropriately recognized and rewarded. They deserve fair compensation, sensible work hours, and respect for their creative rights. I believe in the power of unity and collective action, and I’m steadfast in my support for their fight for better working conditions and fair remuneration. Together, we can shape a more equitable future in the entertainment world.

#SAGAFTRA #SAGAFTRAStrong