Guy Ritchie's Der Pakt

The least Guy Ritchie film Guy Ritchie has ever directed and I mean that in the nicest way possible, The Covenant (or officially Guy Ritchie's The Covenant for those that may not have known otherwise) is the British director's second box office bomb of 2023 but unlike Operation Fortune this Afghanistan set war thriller is Ritchie on top form, delivering a thrill a minute Hollywoodized romp that is one of the most well-rounded of the directors recent works.

A far cry from the likes of Snatch or The Gentleman, The Covenant is Ritchie dialling many of his trademarks way back while still managing to embed his Jake Gyllenhaal vehicle with the same type of energy, editing wizardry and character quirks that made him one of the most well-liked directors in the industry.

A completely fabricated tale inspired by work of local Afghani interpreters during the allied occupation of the country that lasted 20 years from the early 2000's until recent times, The Covenant is a white knuckle experience that follows Gyllenhaal's committed and no fuss Sergeant John Kinley and Dar Salim's (in a real breakout role for the performer) local interpreter Ahmed on a treacherous journey behind enemy lines when a seemingly routine operation their squad heads out on turns into a deadly battle to survive.

Delivered by the drone discovering Ritchie, backed by a rollicking score from composer Christopher Benstead and founded around the charismatic and committed turns from its two leads, The Covenant is far from a typical American war movie that is far more concerned with its characters than endless firefights and preaching and while those moments come and are undeniably well-staged by Ritchie and his team, its the small moments that make The Covenant more than just another big-budgeted Hollywood thriller.

Another addition to his wildly unpredictable and enjoyable new career phase that has moved on from quiet Oscar contenders and the odd bigger project to fully fledged Michael Bay/Road House remake era, Gyllenhaal brings his A-game here as Kinley and whether its shouting at an unfortunate phone operator or quietly pondering recent traumatic events in the wilds, Gyllenhaal is typically solid here and Salim matches him with the quiet but feisty Ahmed, both actors creating a likeable double bill of players that are hard not to be captured by.

A perfect Ritchie film for long time fans or those that may have never previously enjoyed his unique stylings or creativity, The Covenant may be easy to dismiss on face value but it's top notch Hollywood film-making in many ways and deserving of a much bigger audience than it was afforded in its cinematic run.

Final Say -

A rip-roaring war thriller with great lead turns that rarely lets up across a two hour runtime, The Covenant is in many ways a new type of film for Guy Ritchie that marks a new potentially exciting career move for the director to prove he's more than what many have pigeonholed him to be.

4 on hold phone calls out of 5.

Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)

Guy Ritchie's "The Covenant" proves to be a compelling choice for viewers, boasting a well-crafted narrative that resonates. At its core, the film weaves a heartwarming tale of camaraderie between a dedicated US soldier, portrayed with finesse by Jake Gyllenhaal, and an Afghan Interpreter, brought to life by the talented Dar Salim. The loyalty that Gyllenhaal's character exhibits toward the interpreter is endearing and genuinely portrayed.

In this standout performance, Gyllenhaal delivers one of his career-best portrayals, breathing life into his character with remarkable depth and realism. Dar Salim's casting as an Iraqi-born actor signals progress in addressing Hollywood's historical challenges with accurate ethnic casting.

What sets "The Covenant" apart is its ability to convey a sense of authenticity and believability while creating a fresh take within the wartime genre. Despite being a work of fiction, the film masterfully depicts the harsh realities of the war in Afghanistan, engulfing viewers in an emotionally charged and convincing tale.

While this movie is a bit of a slow burn, "The Covenant" remains a must-see for those in search of an authentic, engaging, and entertaining viewing experience.

You cannot go wrong with Jake Gyllenhaal. He should have won an Oscar by now as he is every bit as intense and talented as Leonardo DiCaprio. "The Covenant" starts out as what seems to be a garden-variety war movie, but with interesting off kilter shots and soundtrack, compliments of Guy Ritchie. Then it takes you to its main act, which capably veers away from action scenes to emphasize something human, honorable, and heartfelt. A surprising twist from a brutal, violent movie is that instead of the usual revenge theme, this is about "paying your debts" and doing something that redeems one's integrity. The journey to get there is quite intense, and Gyllenhaal finds himself an equally dramatic match with Dar Salim portraying Ahmed. His deep eyes say so much even when he is not saying anything.

A movie that starts semi-uninteresting, foggy, vague laced with unknowingness, but gradually takes beautiful shape, commitment, camaraderie, hidden pledge deep from the heart, backed by Jake Gyllenhaal and Dar Salim's charismatic acting, superb and haunting photography & filming, supersonic tech and weaponry and moments of intense despair, frustration and anger.

My initial reserve, doubt and thought of clichéd repetitiveness quickly melted like snow in the sun. More than 85% of the movie seems and is realistic and that's an achievement by itself. Liked it very much and recommend it to any person with a deep sense of honor.

When you think the end is near, a glimmer of hope bathes you in its light.

• Screenplay/story: 7
• Development: 8
• Realism: 8.5
• Entertainment: 8
• Acting: 8
• Filming/photography/cinematography: 8.5
• Visual/special effects: 8.5
• Music/score: 8
• Depth: 8.5
• Logic: 7
• Flow: 8.5
• Action/thriller/war: 8
• Ending: 8.

In this straight-faced turn from Guy Ritchie, the pacing is certainly unorthodox, as over half the runtime is dedicated to set-up for an unexpectedly brisk final act. But all of it was so thoroughly investing that it didn't bother me.

And although a great deal of that set-up feels too rote, too similar to the many other war films seen in the last 20 years, The Covenant quickly carves out a thoroughly distinct feel for itself as it establishes its central theme of the indebtedness that comes with a spiritual bond people feel to each other.

Gyllenhaal is great as always, but the show-stealing star of this film is Dar Salim as Ahmed. He gives this film its emotional teeth and causes its hook of tension to sink into you and not let go till the end.

The pulse-pounding musical score and Ritchie's refreshingly restrained direction allow this film to truly have far more staying power than most run-of-the-mill war films.