User Reviews

PREMISE - The Outpost depicts the battle of Outpost Keating, known as the Battle of Kamdesh, which took place on October 3rd 2009, close to the border with Pakistan in Afghanistan. The Outpost itself was located on the bend of a river in a valley, completely overlooked by high mountains on all sides. It was simply put, a nigntmare to defend and a prime target to over run. So it would be that 300 Taliban fighters would attempt to do just that over two fateful days that October. In addition to the harsh terrain the location had other issues. Helicopter re-supply was extremely challenging and dangerous and could only be conducted at night (A previous re-supply attempted killed 12 people, not depicted in the movie) meaning only night landings when there was no moon were possible. Due the nature of the base being located effectively in the bottom of a funnel, in-direct fire support from artillary was impossible and the nearest close air-support was thirty minutes away. Into this nightmare scenario 53 American Soldiers were expected to defend the worst position possible, so the stage was set for a modern day Zulu and one of the bloodiest close quarter conflicts of the war in Afghanistan.

THE CAST - Casting here is impressive and suspiciously full of the children and grandchildren of famous actors and directors. (Jagger, Gibson, Eastwood, Attenborough) Knowing full well that it is difficult to often tell men apart in uniform during depictions of conflict on screen, we have an interesting range of faces, the most easy to spot of which is SCOTT EASTWOOD, proving to be every bit his Father's son as Staff Sgt Clint Romesha, he and CALEB LANDRY JONES both give stand out performances but the rest of the cast are solid too, special mentions to: CORY HARDRICT, TAYLOR JOHN SMITH. and the ever dependable JACK KESY. Senior Officers are played by MILO GIBSON (Whose making a good name for himself despite the challenge of having to fill size 22 shoes) and ORLANDO BLOOM, who appears to have come full circle from playing PFC Blackburn in Blackhawk Down to playing Captain Keating here, whom the camp was ultimately named after. A number of younger British actors do incredibly well and even Producer JOHNATHAN YUNGER gets in on the action!

PRODUCTION - The film was predominantly shot in Bulgaria, as you would expect for a film being produced by Millenium Pictures, but the set up for the camp is convincing and adequately conveys the issues facing the defenders, although the depiction of the terrain is slightly different. The first half of the film tells the story of the various officers who were stationed at the camp before leaving the final third of the film to depict the battle. It is here where ex-soldier turned director ROD LURIE and DOP LORENZO SENATORE do a superb job of giving us a balls to the wall depiction of the final assault and place you firmly in the middle of it, making me regret I could not have experienced the sequence on the big screen. Several long takes (all the rage these days) give a very realistic depiction of following one character in the battle, then another. They also employ a clever techique of depicting the deaths of the real personnel involved, seen primarily form the third person, which felt like a sensible and sensitive approach to the issue in question. One of the most dependable sargeants is wounded early on during the firefight which has an impact on the battle morale of the soldiers whom find themselves fighting for their lives minute by minute. Enough screen time is given to depicting the local political problems facing the American officers, who did their best under extremely challenging circumstances to placate locals.

OVERALL - This film is one of the best depictions of close quarter fighting since Blackhawk Down and is extremely well handled. Some of the earlier dialogue between the soldiers lets the film down a little bit. Yes, we know soldiers do talk like this from time to time but some of lines are cringeworthy to say the least and I am sure this dialogue could have easily been improved upon, but minor gripes aside the film is a pretty gripping depiction of a stupid military blunder which cost the lives of several young men, completely unnecessarily. It does seem a shame however, that the release of this film, may have torpedoed a second film on the subject (RED PLATOON) based on the book written by Medal of Honour winner Clinton Romesha (Played by Scott Eastwood) - Eastwood was not able to speak to Romesha when researching the role he depicted due to this conflict which feels a real shame. So it is possible, we might see a second film depicting the battle. Bring it on.

I did two combat deployments to Afghanistan and one to Iraq. I can tell you without a doubt this movie is the most accurate representation of FOB/COP life, soldier lingo, and to an extent the combat.

Most reviews I've read complain of sub-par dialogue and not a clear story as to what was going on prior to the attack, but I bet that most of the reviews were from people who have never been to war. In war Dialogue between soldiers is not interesting, it's dark, unfiltered, and usually disgusting. We degrade each other, fight each other, we say things so offensive and disgusting that most people would think we have issues. In war you also don't always have a clear cut mission that you can make into some grand Hollywood story. When you deploy you are supposed to find bad guys and help locals, that's it. Those hoping war has some interesting story will be disappointed. You sit around bored, exhausted, missing home, working out, eating garbage food, piss in tubes/bottles (first movie I've seen that showed the bottles), burn your own crap, watch movies, go on patrol and hope you don't get blasted in an IED. Every so often you get a big mission where the combat gets intense. Then it's rinse and repeat, that's how it is and I'm sure prior to the attack, that's how life on Keating was. This movie depicts life in the military so accurately that I was like "my gosh finally someone did it, they got it right it". So to anyone reading this, this is as real as you'll find it until something else is made. All those who talk smack about it are idiot keyboard warriors.

The combat itself is good, explosions look real even the CGI ones were ok, none of that dumb fireball explosion crap, the dust and smoke generated from shooting and explosions to the point the soldiers in the movie were coughing from it was legit. Now I wasn't in this battle but I've been in my fair share of fights I can tell you that tracer rounds aren't as fruitful as you see here. Most of the time you get shot at and have no idea where it came from except maybe a general direction. Muzzle flashes also are hard to see unless it's at night and you could see them all over in this movie. Usually you just see dust or smoke from where they shot, not flashes. But Hollywood has to do this for the effect as it does makes firefights look cool and without seeing tracer bullets whiz by it takes away from the intensity.

Also the soldiers were able to yell and talk to each other from long distances. Yea that doesn't happen, war is ungodly loud, you have to be screaming in a dudes ear to hear you.

When the air support showed up finally, how it was being controlled didn't make sense, but that's just me being nit picky as not many people know what the hell is going on with that.

The tactics were decent, you could tell there was some military advising for sure but some things didn't make sense. Not sure if that's how it happened or just Hollywood though.

Overall if you want to watch the most realistic depiction of how the war in Afghanistan is, this is it. To all the naysayers saying this is garbage, hate the way the soldiers talk to each other, or wish there was a more clear story/mission, you obviously have never been there.

RIP to all the fallen in this battle.

The Outpost, directed by Rod Lurie and based on the book by Jack Tapper is a brilliant film about survival and strength faced upon certain death.

The movie is based on the true story of the battle of Kamdesh, one of the hardest battles fought in the war in Afghanistan.

The movie centers around the soldiers who fought during the battle, who had to watch their friends die, and lived to tell this story in memoriam of those they lost.

The movie is brilliant because of 2 elements in my mind: the first one being telling a good story about survival, and courage the soldiers showed during battle that saved their friends. In general I love war movies that tell a story of courage and that in the end we get to know the true figures of the story. The movie experts in showing the audience who those men were and why they are important to remember.

The second thing that makes this movie brilliant is the filming. For example, one of the first scenes of the movie is a long shot that indicates the horrible strategic location of the Outpost, how the characters are completely exposed to enemy fire. Moreover, the over the shoulder filming is great as well, the camera movements following the characters throughout the film gives a more realistic point of view and image.

In conclusion, The movie is based on real events and in my opinion it does a great job giving full respect to the story and its events surrounding it.

The cast was fantastic and really compelling, the cinematography was very well done. Overall a good movie that I recommend for those who are into it.

I was a 2LT on my first deployment to Afghanistan and a Captain by my third. I am guessing that the film producers used some top notch military advisors, because, frankly, the book was sloppily written and full of cliches and errors on many levels. But the film itself is, for the already problematic and almost never accurate in detail or large picture, genre of war film, quite a good film. On of the professional reviewers I read complained about troops "bullying each other." Really? WTF. That is very accurate and perfectly natural. Everyone is on the edge of their nerves and the banter you hear is accurate. There are a few small technical problems with the way the Taliban troops are shown to deploy and fight. But overall what you are looking at in this film is fairly true. Could it have done more to convey the visceral nature of the fighting around some of the FOB and outposts? Yes, but I am not sure how.

Give it a watch.

"The Outpost" is surprisingly a well executed, well acted and intense film about the war in Afghanistan. I was hooked from beginning to end. . In this war drama based on a true story, a small team of U.S. soldiers battle against hundreds of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. . Director Rod Lurie takes the viewers inside the outpost rarely ever showing the enemy but always showing the bond between brothers. Scott Eastwood and Caleb Landry Jones are terrific in their roles and the action sequences are pulse-pounding. I started this review off with the word "surprising"; and being a B-movie I didn't expect much from "The Outpost". Turns out I was wrong and you should see this film. . Follow @snobmedia for all reviews!

PRT Kamdesh was built in a remote Afghan valley surrounded by the Hindu Kush mountains. The American soldiers defend the badly situated camp against constant attacks from positions above. In 2006, 55 allied soldiers are attacked by an estimated 400 enemy force.

It's a compelling story and a harrowing fight for survival. The battle is riveting. It's based on the true events. Scott Eastwood is probably the most recognizable face. He also has the John Wayne character. It is a real life story partly turned into a John Wayne movie. That's probably its weakest aspect where the enemy is always standing up right and taking a full load of bullets in the chest. For some reason, they are gathered up in a group always ready to be mowed down. The Rambo sensibility is its Archilles' heel. The battle is still top level action although the soldiers really need to dig underground tunnel access to the ammunition depot instead of playing cards, pumping iron, or jerking off to other people's wives. The other minor issue is the large number of characters. It's to be expected from this real life war story. In some ways, this may be better as a limited series on a streaming service. It deserves a six hour treatment. As it stands at two hours, it's a bit too long for a theatrical movie anyways. All in all, this is a compelling true story done relatively well.

Situated in an isolated area of Afghanistan, Combat Outpost Keating is manned by a small force of US Army soldiers and very vulnerable to attack. After years of sporadic, light attacks, in October 2009 the Taliban attack in force. The odds are massively stacked against the defenders.

Based on the true story of the Battle of Kamdesh, The Outpost does a great job of portraying the terror, confusion, camaraderie and bravery of soldiers in battle. Very realistic, giving the viewer the feeling for what an infantry battle must be like.

Very emotional too, especially towards the end.

Not perfect though. The set-up feels clumsy and long-winded. I get that the director is trying to show the bonds between the men but it seems forced and doesn't actually achieve the engagement level he is aiming for.

Overall, worth watching.

I came to this as a silly B action flick, but it was very well acted, directed and edited. It feels very realistic and intense, and way more profound than I thought it would be. You come to care deeply for these guys and the absurdity of their sacrifice, the stupidity of war, especially in these circumstances. It ended up being way more moving, interesting and even thought-provoking than your typical dumb action blockbuster, as fast paced as it is.

11 year army veteran. This rates in my top 3 films for realism and truth to the combat experience. Uniforms to terminology, they nailed it. Thank you for making this film and putting in the research.

And all us action fans have loved movies like these since the days of movies like Zulu Dawn. This movie packs a punch, it does have a slow buildup but this is for effect and to lead us slowly into what could only be described as a hells cauldron.

It is rare to see action sequences as true to life as this and it really does leave the viewer reeling from the situation these guys were put in by the usual incompetent higher up in command as is always the case it seems since WWI and it has not changed. Some great performances and a fitting tribute to the brave guys who died defending an indefensible position in the war.

This is a great movie. Indeed there are, but there are a couple of great things about it:

• this was a movie based on true events
• the action scenes are exciting and provide an engaging visual felling
• there is no sugar coating, the actions depicted on the movie real and truthful

It follows a similar line to 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, which I liked a lot too. The storytelling around the lives of each soldier are built differently, but the goal here is not to explore the lives of each of them, but to understand the challenges of fighting a war in a place clearly indefensible. There are no protections against the mountains and everyone knows it, even the viewer as you get the first glimpse of the environment the soldiers were put in.

I recommend this movie and I think you will like it if you also like movie based on true events.

Ignore the low ratings for this movie. Wasn't expecting much from an Amazon Original production, but this movie surprised me. The acting was fine, not Oscar level, but more than adequate. What made it great was the plot, together with a lot of intensity. This was a lot better than most war movies I've seen of late.

As war movies go, there seems to be little middle ground - they either are well made or low budget disasters .

This film does sit in the middle in a way . It is not a good movie by any standards, but perfectly watchable if your expectations aren't too high . It is not Black Hawk Down, American Sniper, Hurt Locker, or anywhere near that level of film making .

Where The Outpost falls short is the skill and craftsmanship of its creators . There is a somewhat coherent storyline, but it is filled with stereotypical scenes and dialogue . The acting is unremarkable for the most part, which is good ; because the few times the cast members are trying to really act, it gets corny and annoying , showing their lack of competence .

The movie really falls apart during the second half, when the action happens . Battle scenes are very hard to do well, and here we have editing, filming, scripting and directing - you name it - that doesn't manage to put together a picture the viewer can follow and be involved in . It's just a messy pile of repetitive, disjointed shots, repeatedly running the story into dead ends , without the connecting arch good film makers create to turn even chaos into a coherent story .

But considering how many really bad war movies there are , I thing this one still deserves a 4/10 , if barely .

I thought this would be a B movie, but it is actually really good. It is truly intense, and brings you to the outpost where you feel threatened and desperate. I really enjoyed it.

I felt like I was playing Call of Duty for 5 hours. A mishmash of battles and irrelevant dialogue, for a basic mission. Sadly, I wasn't participating in this conflict. The realism was excellent, although heavily drawn out by a screenplay that needed to be much tighter. The casting was excellent and I felt although not all performances where great, they were convincingly real and emotional. It's not your typical Hollywood war film, but instead one of true grit war films that honors the real life soldiers that were KIA or able to return home. Your eyes will be glued to the screen, but you'll be left unsatisfied with the overall storytelling.

Because this is made for the unison , and not the bipartisan of the audience. its a film about usa's war on taliban in afghanistan, it has a very cliched build up with loads of rough and tough language and bullying among compadres en masse. that really is going on for ssome 45 minutes.

but when the heat gets hot, i guess youll experience some highraised shoulders and stiffness in the neck, because the ''under attack'' action parts a really dignyfying and deadly to say the least, thanks to handheld free motion camerawork ,so here youre in for some good moviemaking.

but there are much mediocreness in the quiet and spiritual moments of the story, and that makes the grumpy old man give just a 7.but if you like the topic and genre, its among the finest made over the subject, and some of the acting are pretty good.

The Outpost tells us the story of the Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan - a small US outpost was surrounded and attacked by strong Taliban forces. The Outpost is a solid war movie with some fine combat scenes in the end chapter. Recommended if you like to watch such (war) movies like Lone Survivor, American Sniper, Battle for Haditha, The Wall etc.

Last note: people expecting character development (means mostly personal drama), quality of dialogues etc. should watch something else but a war movie....

I only go off what I have read, what I know from people that served and had the chance to speak to and what I generally have seen in other films.

This is one of those films that depicts the chaos and brutality of war a bit too close to reality and it's not pretty so people tend to judge it harshly because it's hard to understand or accept something if you haven't experienced it. The battle sequences are nothing short of breathtaking. The filmmakers have meticulously crafted these scenes to make us feel as if we are right alongside the soldiers, experiencing every adrenaline-pumping moment. Great!

In terms of the cast, their performances add depth to the characters and make the emotional impact of the story more potent. As bullets fly by we see the extent of their bravery, determination, commitment and camaraderie. I also loved hearing the interviews at the end. Another reminder of the sacrifices made.

The movie is slow to get going but develops eventually. Very moving towards the end and illustrates the bravery of people at the sharp end and the stupidity of those behind the spear.

I didn't even know this movie was being made, but I first heard about it when it was touted as a "pro-America military movie." I wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but it sounded better than the alternative.

I served in Operation Enduring Freedom 7 and 8, in a little Forward Operating Base called FOB Tillman, named after Army Ranger Pat Tillman who died in that area (Paktika Province of Afghanistan, a few kilometers from the Paki border). We were one small Infantry company (A Company, 2/87) in a remote area, which was populated by neutral locals and Taliban forces. The American media called it a "hot zone," and it was. The similarities between the setting in The Outpost and the reality of my unit's experiences are startling. Obviously, I'm a biased reviewer.

That being said: I thought this movie was incredible! There were a couple of things I questioned the accuracy of, like soldiers firing full-auto M4s and the somewhat casual behavior of soldiers in an obvious death trap; but overall this movie gets just about everything right. Down to the small details like the water bottle used as counterweights to keep the exterior doors closed, and the local Afghan elder with the red dye in his beard. Those are the kinds of details that SO many Hollywood interpretations overlook. Also, the story this movie relates is an incredible tale of heroism, sacrifice and brotherhood, which really are common in the US military. Watching this film was a cathartic experience for me, as well as an enjoyable movie-going one.

The Outpost is a new war drama movie directed by Rod Lurie, the director of Nothing But the Truth and The Contender.

The film is about the American mission of a small group of soldiers consisting of 53 men, who defend the remote outpost Keating against the Taliban in Afghanistan. In this way they hope to support and defend the local population during social projects. When the US military decides to close outpost Keating, the remaining soldiers are surprised by a major attack by the Taliban. The soldiers must now protect the outpost and the population for the last time against an invasion of hundreds of Taliban fighters.

Director Rod Lurie and photography director Lorenzo Senatore have portrayed the film in a good and exciting way. This makes it feel as if you, as a viewer, are also part of the small group of American soldiers, who are often attacked by surprise attacks by the Taliban. The film feels a bit like the war films The Hurt Locker and 1917. This film also shows well what life-threatening missions soldiers can experience and why some of these soldiers have received the Medal of Honor.

Although the film is beautifully portrayed, you quickly forget who plays which soldier and what they are called. Only the more famous actors such as Orlando Bloom and Scott Eastwood can be recognized earlier in the film thanks to their fame. Despite this unfamiliarity of the cast, as staff sergeant Ty Carter, Caled Landry Jones still manages to put in good acting in the film and almost carries the film.

Very much in the mold of Zulu (1964). Love the realism of being in a real war, with ammunition and bombs going off left, right and center, and soldiers forced on extreme survival skills to battle incredible odds. Some fort - surrounded on all sides by mountains. Outpost is 100% certified as a feminist-free GUY popcorn-movie. Was going to give it a 7, but, in the light of that, think I'll give it an 8.

Greetings again from the darkness. Director Rod Lurie's latest is not only based on a remarkable true story, it uses the real American soldier's names (and some real soldiers) and depicts the valiant efforts of those who were part of the Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan on October 3, 2009. Mr. Lurie (THE CONTENDER, 2000) is a West Point graduate and Army veteran, and the film is based on the book by CNN correspondent Jake Tapper, with a screenplay from Eric Johnson and Paul Tamasy.

We first meet the new arrivals on their helicopter transport under the cover of darkness. They have been assigned to this combat outpost known as "Camp Custer." The nickname comes from the assumption that everyone there is going to die. Why is that? Well for some reason, this military outpost is positioned so as to be surrounded by the foothills of a mountain range - creating a natural shooting gallery of which the soldiers are sitting ducks. It's one of the most vulnerable military outposts ever created, and with it comes so many Taliban attacks that the soldiers can't even take seriously their local scout's constant warnings, "The Taliban are coming!"

There are 53 soldiers assigned to the camp, and the aura of impending doom hovers non-stop. To compensate, joking around and playing sports are utilized to pass the time between attacks. The men even debate whether calling home is a good thing or not. One of the bunk beds has "It doesn't get better" carved into the frame - that's a taste of the kind of inspiration floating around. "Thank you for your service" is pure parody amongst these soldiers, and it's easy to understand, given the tension they must feel - we are nervous merely watching from the safety of an armchair.

The performances are solid and you'll recognize a few. Orlando Bloom is Lieutenant Keating, Scott Eastwood is Sergeant Cline Romesha, and Caleb Landry Jones is a standout as Carter, the ex-Marine outcast who is more complex than initial impressions lead us to believe. On an unusual note, the list of "relateds" is quite impressive: Eastwood is of course the son of Clint, Milo Gibson is the son of Mel, James Jagger is the son of Mick, Will Attenborough is the grandson of Sir Richard Attenborough, and Scott Alda Coffey is the grandson of Alan Alda.

Director Lurie divides the film into chapters associated with officers, but the segment that most every viewer will find riveting is the near-40 minute attack on the outpost by hundreds of Taliban gunmen. It's relentless battle action at a level rarely seen in movies, and we feel like we are in the middle of it. This onslaught feels like hopelessness, followed by desperation, followed by survival mode. Never does it feel like an outright victory, but more a relief for those who survive. Cinematographer Lorenzo Senatore makes this a visceral experience - one we won't forget.

Very little politics come into play here. Instead this is about the men in the line of fire - their courage - and their desperate attempts to live and hold the outpost. All of which is followed by a haunting breakdown that stuns. This battle resulted in 8 dead and 27 injured American soldiers, followed by many medals, including two Medal of Honors. The closing credits honor those killed in action, and we see photos of the actual soldiers next to the actor who played them.