Film Review: Impressive Action Mayhem Is on Display in “The Outpost” and Not Much Else

The Outpost (Rod Lurie, 2020) 1½ out of 4 stars.

In The Outpost, actor Scott Eastwood and director Rod Lurie shine a light on the valor demonstrated by the U.S. soldiers of Outpost Keating. During Operation Enduring Freedom, carried out in Afghanistan in 2009, 53 U.S. soldiers and some Afghan defenders fell under attack by Taliban insurgents when word got out that the outpost was to be abandoned. The Taliban decided to make one last statement to the United States and unleashed a firefight that nearly forced the American soldiers to lose control of the outpost.

The Outpost is an hour-and-a-half-long buildup with solid acting and passable character development that leads to a 30-minute finale that is filled to the brim with impressive pyrotechnics, gunplay, and action direction. From what I can tell, Scott Eastwood and Caleb Landry Jones together act as the emotional through line in a story that struggles to show interest in one.  

Before the final standoff against the Taliban, we are introduced to a gaggle of characters, all played by competent performers, but none are given distinct characterization that compels us to care about them when it truly matters in the story. The dialogue is snappy and lends to the believability of these actors as men who have been with each through thick and thin. Without these elements in play, we’re just morbidly waiting for the exciting action in the last third of the film to commence.

Patrick Howard

Patrick Howard has been a cinephile since age seven. Alongside 10 years of experience in film analysis and criticism, he is a staunch supporter of all art forms and believes their influence and legacy over human culture is vital. Mr. Howard takes the time to write his own narrative stories when he can.