Mosul

Another worthy addition to Netflix's burgeoning catalogue of foreign language films, 'Mosul' is a unique war movie that deserves to find a wide audience. There's been many films made about war in the Middle East, but thus far they've mostly focused on the point of view of the American forces. Sure, the likes of 'Lone Survivor' and 'The Hurt Locker' were terrific, but to the best of my knowledge, 'Mosul' is the first to be told from the point of view of the people who actually live there. 'Mosul' is an international co-production, but it feels like a distinctly Iraqi take on the war against ISIS.

The film tells the story of Kawa (Adam Bessa), a rookie Police Officer in the titular city. With half the city controlled by ISIS and a violent, close quarters battle raging for months, he one day finds himself recruited to join the local SWAT Team. The story unfolds over the course of a single day, Kawa going through a brutal baptism of fire as he and his new colleagues take the fight to the increasingly desperate ISIS forces who have caused so much misery.

Led by the charismatic Major Jasem (Suhail Dabbach - excellent), the cops take the fight to the militants while also trying to avoid detection by their superiors. This SWAT Team might be cops, but they didn't like their orders to withdraw from the fight and have to bribe their own allies to escape unwanted attention. They face car bombs, desperate battles in cramped backstreet alleyways and as the day goes on, the fresh faced Kawa becomes increasingly dead-eyed and battle hardened. But what is their mission exactly? Jasem won't tell him much and all these random gunfights don't seem to be going anywhere other than racking up the body-count. Can Kawa trust these renegade officers and will he live to see his second day on the job?

It's a violent and unrelenting film with some grim depictions of urban warfare. The opening close quarters gun battle is a hectic set piece and if the sound is turned up enough, you can almost picture what being in a real life shoot out would be like. The sweaty palmed fear, the life or death decisions that are made in split seconds...and it only increases as the film goes on. The squad face rooftop snipers and an apparently limitless number of ISIS militants. It's an adrenaline pumping action film that plunges you right into the heart of the chaos.

That said, there is an argument to be made that 'Mosul' may have worked best as a six-part TV series rather than a movie. So much happens that it starts to become unbelievable that this could all happen in a single day, especially when it draws to a close and there's still no sign of the sun setting. Plus, aside from Kawa, Jasem and the squad's second-in-command Waleed, none of the other characters get much time to develop. They drop like flies throughout and they've had so little screen-time that each casualty just looks like another bullet riddled body.

That said, for the most part, 'Mosul' is a gripping and worthy war film from a perspective we rarely see. Kawa's first day on the job is a hell of a ride and it'll be really striking for anyone in a Western Police Force seeing how he gets it. There's no interviews, no training, he just gets given a hat and a uniform and he's in. Sure, he's gunned down a few of the opposing side already, but the application and screening process is remarkably brief. If 'Hot Fuzz' is to be believed, there's gonna be a lot of paperwork once they clock off for the night.

Bearing in mind that this is fiction, featuring actors, written and directed by an American, Mosul still has an authentic and sincere feel to it. The events covered are recent, and the wounds still very much raw, but the treatment seems fair.

The core story is the basic coming-of-age of a young policeman inducted into a SWAT team acting, essentially, as executioners, and he soon adopts that philosophy. Daesh behave like medieval savages, but the callousness and cruelty that this engenders on those fighting them isn't glossed over either. There are no heroes here - all the characters presented have quirks or flaws.

The acting, filming and production values are all generally decent, with some compelling performances from the leads. The combat sequences in particular are well done, with some admirable examples of snafus and fumbles that give them a gritty authentic feel.

The tone of the film is generally grim and downbeat, but there's a surprisingly affecting twist at the end when the unit's real mission is revealed. Even within that though, there's some further nuance that brings home that there are no easy, final victories over an ideology as actively evil as Daesh.

This is a commendable, thought provoking and thoroughly well made film that far exceeded my expectations.

Mosul, Iraq. After a long struggle the tide is at last turning against ISIS. At the forefront of the war against ISIS is the elite Nineveh SWAT team, lead by Major Jasem. After recruiting a young police officer to their ranks they set off on a another hazardous mission.

A novel war drama, as it is told from an Iraqi perspective and set against the war against ISIS. Decent story, well told, with some realistic action scenes. Very gritty in the war the battles are portrayed: the good guys aren't immortal.

Not perfect though. Character engagement is limited, largely because there's no backstory to the characters or plot. Things just happen without a context, making you more an observer than a participant in the film.

The reason for the lack of background becomes apparent at the end but it would have been very helpful to have some way to have audiences engage more closely with characters. A longer film, even a mini-series, would have been more ideal.

At one time, it seemed Isis was unstoppable in Iraq. The docudrama Mosul, produced by the Russo brothers, takes us in nail-biting detail with an elite Iraqi SWAT team dedicated to eradicating the last vestiges of the terrorist group with no little motive of revenge in their hearts.

While this drama, pulling together pieces of real events, is largely close-quarter fighting in the alleys and homes of the city, first-time director and writer Matthew Michael Carnahan expertly takes his hand-held and Steadicam with the soldiers to give the immediate sense of terror mixed with courage and mission.

The linchpin of the group is Major Jasem (Suhail Dubbach), rough and soft, tough and smart about Isis activities. More than once must he decide on the value of saving a life or letting it go, be it his soldier or Isis's. In that way this story is like The Outpost earlier this year in which hundreds of Taliban corner a small U.S. team placed in a canyon by irresponsibly clueless officers. Survival by wit is the common denominator, and thoughts of love buoy spirits but not for the audience that knows too well the ongoing tragedy.

Many learn history through realistic films like Mosul. The sights are not pretty, and the losses are not easy to accept. Those who know first-hand our losing efforts in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq can be assured that we have a good idea of the costs of democracy and misplaced ideals through competent and uncompromising docudramas like Mosul. On Netflix.

It has the production value of a typical Hollywood action movie because essentially its an American movie but its not an American story. A different setting, different characters, different motivations, different language and story from a place we don't get many movies from. In the end it's definitely a worthy watch.

A group of self made swat soldiers fight against ISIS in their hometown of Mosul, Iraq.