Fire Over Afghanistan

This is a low budget attempt at getting under the skin of people who deposit themselves into difficult territory and attempt to maintain their equilibrium. The actors are strong and the story is familiar, but there is a sorrowful angst in between the gunshots. You can tell the filmmakers care far more about the situation than they do the action -- and once you accept it, it's okay. I watched it a couple times to make sure I hadn't looked away and missed something, and the second time through I understood what they were after: the pointlessness of war. This is a movie in which a character is forced to shout "Shoot him, dammit!" A rip from Bridge on the River Kwai, a wild comparison, yes, but another war picture that wanted only to say how pointless the war itself is.

Who better know Afghanistan, the United States; or Russia? I think this flick was made by Russians. And yes, sure, of course they do know Afghanistan. So it has a Russian feel to it, from the way the Americans seem like Europeans, to the Latino helo pilot who speaks with a Russian accent. I couldn't finish this one. It just didn't hold my attention. Seen on Tubi, the free streaming site.

I thought this movie seemed like a case study in how not to make a movie for the most part. Since I am a filmmaker, I give it a 2 for consistency.

The problems remain from beginning to end with the plot being extremely predictable using bits and pieces of most, if not all, previous successful war stories. The computer generated graphics were too much like viewing a video game at points and there seemed to be no attempt by the director to add some realistic quality to the story. I was interested in the budget to get an idea of what he had to work with, but did not find that information.

It seemed like this project pushed the limits of a low budget movie too far resulting in a production that drags the viewer along with the story without their imagination being engaged. The actors weren't bad, but the plot needs more innovation.

Of course this movie is bad. There were a few highlights for the one who likes to be entertained though. Another commenter spoke of a cheap-looking video game and he was right: just look at the fluorescent candy cockpit, wow! And then the imagery of the invented Afghan landscape: move your ass, Google Earth! All very trippingly futuristic and - unintentionally it may be - very cool. "Escape from Afghanistan" was the master of dark, here we have the master of light.

The story, acting and direction are awful. The soundtrack is OK. And I keep wondering how our hero manages to keep his hair in such a good shape after an other rough 'n tumble fighting sequence...

Afghanistan is thousands of miles from anything in our world and yet because

of 9/11 has acheived a central status that this movie trains its sight on. The two Americans would seem to be there for entirely different reasons and

yet there is a chilling sense that both are there to escape personal tragedy or the sense that being alive when others are dying is patently unfair. The movie's two lead actors are up to the task of making us pay atention and there is an

aching sense that only in this ridiculously violent world could they possibly find each other and in the end save each other. Although there is no real explanation for why Afghanistan has to suffer so much death and destruction, this movie at least gives us the sense that there are real people there who deserve a chance for something better. Although there is

plenty of violence and action, it always seemd justified. Worth a viewing.