Let me get straight to the point. Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant is one of the year’s best films and a triumph for Ritchie himself. It’s a film that pulls no punches when it comes to making us feel like we are in the same situations and dilemmas as its characters. It wants us to generate empathy for those who are trapped in a war zone. It elicits performances from its cast that are believable and grounded in reality. And for Ritchie, it shows that he can tackle a film of serious subject matter with great technical prowess.
The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Army Sergeant John Kinley, who recruits local Afghans as interpreters while they pursue the Taliban. He finds one in the form of Ahmed (Dar Salim), who is all too anxious for the job. His goal is to help track down the Taliban after they killed his son.
The sergeant and the interpreter have a very rocky start as the latter insists on doing things his way instead of the Army way. They end up getting separated from the rest of their group and they have to rely on each other when they catch up with the Taliban. Ahmed saves Kinley from narrowly being captured and takes him through the unforgiving desert of Afghanistan to keep him safe.
Ahmed is able to help Kinley return to the States to reunite with his wife and family, but Ahmed is still trapped. Kinley makes a desperate attempt to do all he can to get him and his family out of hostile territory.
While not based on a true story, The Covenant does give us a gritty, real-world documentary feel that explores the psychology of who these two men are and the ideals that motivate their behaviors. Gyllenhaal unsurprisingly delivers another top-notch effort as a man who is committed to doing his duty while discovering a sense of purpose when encountering Ahmed.
Dar Salim turns in an especially effective and nuanced performance with this character. This could’ve easily been a stereotyped role, but Salim adds so much dimension and pathos that we find ourselves wanting to care instantly about the circumstances Ahmed finds himself in, and we’re desperate for him to make it out alive. I think he should qualify for Best Supporting Actor.
Given Guy Ritchie’s track record, I thought this movie was going to be a series of overblown, ridiculously supercharged action sequences, but Ritchie shows great restraint in that it’s not so much about sound and fury but a character-driven film that has a lot of dignity and class in its genre.
The Covenant ranks among some of the best War on Terror films, and it should not be missed.
Grade: A
(Rated R for violence, language throughout and brief drug content)
