The Covenant : Mission en Afghanistan

That's all I really got to say about this movie... the first act in itself was amazing, but added together with the second and third, this movie was absolutely gripping. I rarely find myself verbally willing the characters on in movies, but this one had me muttering 'cmon, CMON!!!' every single time the action ramped up. I love Jake in just about everything he does, and although this was no exception, it was the interpreters performance that took me by surprise. Balancing calmness and urgency, Dar Salim absolutely took me by surprise. I cannot recommend this one more than I already have so I leave you with one last phrase... SEE THE MOVIE!

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.

Good story, well cast, acted & directed; I was gripped.

It's just good old fashioned film making. A great story. Clearly defined characters. The film is accessible & entertaining, leading you through a gamut of emotions.

I would argue it's Guy Ritchie's most accomplished film making to date. It's made in a very proficient & masterful way. It reminds me of Eastwood film making at its best.

As for the leads. Both men do an excellent job. You like them. You want them to succeed.

It's basically a very good film that's accessible which people will enjoy. Watch it. Sit back with some popcorn and enjoy.

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)

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.