Review of 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016) by Mike D — 26 Feb 2017

One of the most tragic and contentious terrorist attacks in recent memory was the raid on the American compound in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012, which left four Americans dead. While the attack has been politicized to the core, Michael Bay was successfully able to capture the events of the day in an objective and respectful way in the dramatic thriller '13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.'.

The film is atypical of Bay's normal fare, and that's a good thing. While there are plenty of action sequences given the subject matter, it's clear things are toned down from the ridiculous, over-the-top antics from the 'Transformers' franchise. Instead, what we have is a portrait of courage under fire, as a band of ex-military brothers turned defense contractors are activated to defend the outpost as it is overrun by Libyans who engage in guerrilla warfare.

Aside from the obvious villains profiled here, '13 Hours' focuses on the key point of the delay in giving the contractors the go-ahead, which has become a sticking point and lightning rod for many in the years following the attack. It was the CIA station's director "Bob" (David Costabile) who was pegged as the antagonist here, which was probably the easiest way to wipe hands of politics. For the rest of the cast, a largely unknown cast is led by John Krasinski as Jack Silva and James Badge Dale as Tyrone "Role" Woods.

At two hours and 24 minutes, '13 Hours' is a lengthy runtime for any kind of movie, but given the subject matter, it makes sense in this instance. There are so many aspects of the events that unfolded during this attack that every minute was necessary in order to deliver a sufficient - and mostly accurate - final product. From the initial setup and character development to the tear-jerking final moments, the film is an example of what can be achieved with a production team that clearly did its homework.

'13 Hours' may have only been a modest box office hit and received lukewarmly by critics, but it still deserves a great deal of accolades.