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The Outpost Blu-ray Review

“The Outpost” brings fresh material to the war movie genre.

Based on a true story, “The Outpost” tells the story of The Battle Of Kamdesh which was the most violent battle in the War In Afghanistan in 2009. The story centers on the remote American military Outpost (the Combat Outpost Keating) which is in the worst possible location. It’s a ground level base that is entirely surrounded by towering mountains. In other words, it’s a real death trap. Sadly, the U.S. Army soldiers stationed there became attacked by Taliban forces and that’s the centerpiece of this film.

Directed by Rod Lurie, “The Outpost” is a bit rough around the edges, but it’s effective where it needs to be.  The grounded film is nothing if not an emotional tribute to soldiers and veterans who sacrificed their lives for their country. I was particularly drawn to the fact that the script (penned by Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson off of Jake Tapper’s book) focused on elements that you don’t tend to see in war dramas. Yes, there’s very much a mixture of “Black Hawk Down” and “Band of Brothers” present here, but you also see different aspects of modern Army life with the camaraderie (and the horseplay), the internal conflicts within the soldiers, the order and chaos of battle, the changes in rank, the transformational change of soldiers, and, in the case of this film, a level of authenticity with real life war veterans acting in a few roles (3 of which were present at the actual outpost). 

As intense and engaging as “The Outpost” can be, it’s not without its faults. The budgetary constraints definitely hold the film back. The visuals aren’t quite as potent as they could be, the CGI is quite poor, and it would have been nice to get a few more named actors in there for a more impactful screen presence. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some real talent here (and seeing the veterans in roles is very special), but it would have greatly benefited the emotional gravitas of the characters. On the subject of the cast, Orlando Bloom has a small but memorable role as Captain Keating, Scott Eastwood (who is looking more and more like his dad by the way) continues to grow as an actor as Sgt. Romesha, and Caleb Landry Jones continues to rise in stardom with a performance that elevates the entire movie as Specialist Carter.

Budget aside, the script also struggles a bit (especially on). It takes awhile for the movie to find its footing and settle in as it relies heavily on clunky dialogue, cliches, and all too brief character introductions. Luckily, the script eventually finds its way.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 1080p. How does it look? Expect a nice clean hi-def transfer.

Audio Track: 5.1 Surround. How does it sound? An effectively loud track that will put your speakers to work.

Extras:
* Screen Media trailers
* Deleted scene rehearsal and song rehearsal for “Everybody Cries.”
* “Battle Scene Blocking”- Behind-the-scenes footage of a rehearsal.
* “Inside Cop Keating: Behind The Scenes, Behind The Lines”- A fantastic half-hour featurette about how the project came about that also includes interviews with real figures involved along with the actors.
* An informative solo commentary by Rod Lurie.

August 20, 2020 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Caleb Landry Jones, Scott Eastwood, The Outpost Blu-ray Review, The Outpost Movie, War In Afghanistan, War Movie, War Veterans