The Objective

This a smart Sci-fi/horror/ War Movie in a similar vein to R-Point or Outpost, a bit of popular myth (this time on a Erik von Dankin tip)... set against the backdrop of the most modern of wars.

It's low budget and fairly obscure, punching above its weight with superbly haunting location shots (Atlas Mountains Morocco) and tight audio FX / Soundtrack. The Special forces soldiers are believable too, kudos to the military adviser, and the acting's not bad too.

The best think about 'The Objective'is the brooding pacing, It never scared me, more just left of field enough to make you think - this is and a bit different, that's a bit odd, this ain't Hollywood etc... and all the better for it... not surprising then to learn its from one of the directors from Blair Witch...

On the flip side the heavy narration gives it a TV movie feel and though it kind of works in the end hmmmm, I dunno there was still a bit much. Narrative's a bit al over thae place, and whilst some might shout "rubbish" or IMDb fav "worst movie ever" I'll go for "fun for what it is" and that is on a par with an extended version of your fav X-file's/Outer limits episode.... Absolutely Recommended I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Objective'

The Objective is, in many ways, reminiscent of science-fiction movies of old, particularly the 70s. But whether it was intentional of Daniel Myrick or it simply is a coincidence, I wouldn't know. One thing is for sure, the real magic and strength of older science-fiction classics is not fully conjured here.

This small-budget movie's premise is simple but opens many possibilities. An elite military commando is sent on a mission in the tensed, war-torn present-day Afghanistan. They are led by a mysterious government operative. Their "Objective" is relatively unclear but considering the risks taken, the stakes must be high. As the story unfolds, the mystery remains and the plot thickens but we are still left with a sour taste as the development and tension doesn't pay off much.

There's a mish-mash of elements here that have been a success in other works and movies. Shades of The Andromeda Strain. Shades of Aliens. Shades of Space Odyssey, of Altered States and of old Bermuda Triangle Movies. More than anything, with just a little rework, this could have been a solid X-Files movie. CIA agent Ben Keynes could easily become FBI agents Mulder and Scully, which would have made things much more dynamic.

One of the biggest problem The Objective suffers from is an underdeveloped protagonist and cardboard peripheral characters. One of the secrets to the success of Aliens is that James Cameron, in a much busier storyline, was able to present his space marines as more than mere Alien-hamburgers. In just a few lines, or a few silent frames, we are exposed to colorful personalities and the various interactions between them. In The Objective, not only are the special force members absolutely bland, but they don't even interact in interesting ways with the plot or the main character. When a film-maker introduces characters that are obvious plot tools, I call this weak film-making. But when such characters aren't even effective tools, I call this awful film-making. And that's unfortunately the case here.

As for the actual plot... suffice it to say it is intriguing. A few hints are given here and there in the movie that might help figure out what the shocking resolution means. We are firmly in speculative science-fiction at times, much like old sci-fi. This makes this flawed movie a valid entry for fans of the genre but others would be better off passing.

This is still a solid effort by Daniel Myrick and commendable on an $8,000,0000 budget. But it seems a less ambitious, more tightly knit plot would have been preferable over too large a scope.

After watching this movie I came straight back on IMDb to see if I could make sense of what I had just watched. But after reading all the comments so far, I am none the wiser. It definitely did remind me of 'Blair Witch In The Desert' (with an Apocalypse Now style narration throughout) albeit without the hand camera so at least you don't feel queasy at the end, just a tad confused

Having said that, it did command my attention until the end, and I did enjoy it. After about 1/2 an hour its pretty obvious that the ending isn't going to be neatly wrapped up so it shouldn't leave you too disappointed

Should we follow these brave men on their objective, or should we go on the subjective and fail their mission?

The film is set in Afghanistan (don't know where it's actually filmed, though) and thus creates a believable atmosphere and setting. The story does not deviate from what we have come to expect in Military-Sci/Fi-things as of late, but still manages to set itself apart from the paranoia and suspicion evolving the CIA. The story is told through the main-character, on his journey to uncover the truth about some abnormal readings in a remote area of Afghanistan.

The main-character is, however, also my main problem. He is dry, he is extremely dry. Not showing emotions or even just humane reactions, he becomes a shadowy figure and, sadly, falls into the stereotypical role of an agent on a secret mission. His voice is monotonous and overall he lacks charisma. The other characters are as believable as they come. They actually seem like real people you would meet on the streets. Just that these guys are soldiers and not regular people.

The story is slow to evolve but as their sightings grow in both number and essence you'll find yourself wanting to know more. Only a few times does the film seem boring but as a whole, it's worth the wait to let it unfold. The story is not original, mind you, but what is these days?

Technically the film is sound. Nothing particular about it, really. It's mediocre and it's seems happy to be just that.

Anywho, give it a go if you want to kill off an hour and a half and not making it feel like a complete waste of time, but don't expect a film that'll save your day.

This movie is an amazing blend of science fiction, horror, and thrills.

A CIA agent recruits a couple grunt soldiers to track down a religious leader in Afghanistan to interview him.

But the soldiers soon find out that this is just a deception to lure them deep into a remote region of Afghanistan. What follows is a thrilling, scary, and exciting film that almost never lets up until the ending.

The writing is great, there are no over the top lines and long philosophical battles between characters, this is a movie about soldiers and they speak and act accordingly. The acting is fantastic, characters seems genuinely scared and nervous whenever appropriate. And the plot is a fantastic twist on the usual 'small company' war story movie as it adds elements of supernatural horror and psychological terror as the main antagonists instead of rival soldiers.

The cons are the slightly low budget special effects at some points, instead of showing poorly done CGI, I would have opted for the 'less is more' approach and focused on characters reactions to the supernatural phenomenon instead. The ending was a bit disappointing as well as there is very little concrete resolution but with some creative assuming and inference it is relatively obvious as to what happens to each individual character.

If you like horror or thriller movies or just want to see a fresh idea then absolutely give this movie a chance. It's a bit nerve wracking if you're watching it in the dark and definitely not for children. Adults however, especially those into film, this deserves at least rental.