The Covenantangalanga

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.

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.

Guy Ritchie's The Covenant is a great movie with an interesting story on an important subject matter. It has some intense action scenes and many moments of suspense. The music is fantastic, elevating every scene. That's now three movies where I've noticed a great musical score by composer Christopher Benstead, along with Wrath of Man and Operation Fortune.

Jake Gyllenhaal gives a great performance as usual. The surprise stand out is Dar Salim, who did a great job of getting me invested in his character and wellbeing. I wish Antony Starr (The Boys, Banshee) had a bigger role, but it was cool to see him have scenes with a star of Gyllenhaal's caliber. He's such a great actor and I continue to wait for him to get major movie roles.

I'm impressed with the subject matter covered here. It's so sad and needs to be addressed. It's not the first time the American government has broken promises or shirked responsibilities resulting in catastrophic outcomes for the people who put their trust in them. Some people will immediately call you unpatriotic for even bringing this up. But wrong is wrong, regardless of who does it.

(1 viewing, opening Thursday 4/20/2023)

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.