I like war films. Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, Saving
Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, We Were Soldiers, Lone Survivor, The Hurt
Locker and Black Hawk Down –
these are all great modern war films. But I can honestly say that I have never seen a war film quite like Kajaki.
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| Kajaki |
This is the true story of a company
of young British soldiers from 3 Para who, in September 2006, set off on a
routine patrol from their outpost overlooking the Kajaki Dam in Southern
Afghanistan, but instead of engaging the Taliban they encounter an altogether
different, unexpected and terrifying enemy. While making their way across a
wadi (a dried out river bed) one them steps on an anti-personnel mine. As his
brothers-in-arms rush to his aid they discover they have inadvertently stumbled
into the middle of a minefield left there by the Soviets after their invasion
and subsequent withdrawal from the province some twenty-five years earlier.
There are no firefights – in fact
there isn’t a single shot fired in the entire film. The Taliban are only
glimpsed in the far distance. It does not judge and nor does it take sides. But
it is a horrific and exhausting experience. And trust me, when I say experience I don’t use that word lightly.
To say that this film is tense would be doing it a disservice. This is not
merely tense – this is nerve shredding and terrifying almost throughout its 108
minute running time.
One thing that stands out by virtue
of its absence is music. There is no music until the final credits roll, and
when you watch the film you’ll understand why. There is absolutely no need for
music to heighten the tension because the dire situation these brave lads find
themselves trapped in provides more than enough tension. I found myself watching
the film through my fingers with my knees up against my chest. The only let up
is the black humour and banter the soldiers hurl at each other as a coping
mechanism to take their minds off the seemingly inescapable situation they have
found themselves in.
This is a film devoid of clichés
and sentimentality. The screenplay by Tom Williams is a model of tight plotting
and crisp, course and realistic dialogue. The director, Paul Katis, makes his
film look like millions of dollars had been spent on it, instead of the low
budget British film that it is. The acting is exemplary, particularly from
David Elliot and Mark Stanley There are no flashbacks and no cuts to the
families waiting at home. Instead, the film concentrates on the men themselves
and the unbreakable bond of brotherhood they share when facing adverse and
horrific circumstances. It could, in fact, almost be described as a love story.
This is going to be a short review
as I would like everyone who reads this to rush out and buy or rent this film
and watch it immediately and let me know what they think of it. For me it’s a
fitting tribute to the courage of the men who had to endure that terrible day
and I defy anyone not to admit they had at least one tear in their eye when the
final credits roll.
In conclusion, I don’t normally
agree with most things that Jeremy Clarkson has to say, and when he reviewed this
film describing this as “the best British war film ever made,” I still don’t
agree with him. This is not the best British war film ever made. This is the
best war film ever made by anyone anywhere. Period.
