Movie Review - Kandahar

TL;DR

If you’re really in the mood for a Gerard Butler action film then I recommend rewatching any other movie he’s been in. It will be more enjoyable than this.

Unpolished

The script for this movie has potential, but it needs about a half-dozen rewrites before it should have been produced. The first half of the movie bounces from one short scene to another without settling down. We don’t really get to understand all of the characters and what they’re about. The overall plot is obvious, but many of the character roles aren’t fleshed out.

There are a few conversations in the second half of the movie that could have been the seed for a compelling story, but the actions of the characters didn’t back up their words. I’m thinking specifically about the Pakistani soldier who was hunting Tom (Gerard Butler). I’m really not sure what his character’s motivations were.

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Character Arc

Not a single character in this movie has an arc. Everyone is written as a video game character that has a purpose but no agency. We never understand who they are, and what they stand for, and then we get to see them evolve, make decisions and perhaps change.

Grade: D

About The Peetimes: It was really hard to find Peetimes for this movie because there are so many 30-second scenes back to back. But the 2nd Peetime is one long scene. I recommend using that one if possible.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Kandahar.

Rated:	(R) Violence and Language
Genres:	Action, Thriller
Starring:	Gerard Butler, Navid Negahban, Ali Fazal
Director:	Ric Roman Waugh
Writer(s):	Mitchell LaFortune
Language:	English
	Country:	United States

Plot
A CIA operative and his translator flee from special forces in Afghanistan after exposing a covert mission.

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Comments

One response to “Movie Review – Kandahar”

Jason

June 19, 2023

I disagree, respectfully. Did there need to be some fleshing out…yes that could have helped. However, a lot of movies these days try to go that way with character development and then the movie turns into this wordy confusing heap, like Syrianna or no country for old men , both movies had seriously great plots but they got bogged down in character development and left the audience wondering, “What happened?” Or “That’s the end?”
I think in the end there was more development but much of it was left on the cutting room floor. When I read the plot, I thought it sounded like a modern retelling of the classic “Zenophon!” It wasn’t but there were hints that maybe that classic story influenced the movie. I gave this movie a B-, but just barely getting that so I do see your points and perhaps the director and producer is kicking themself right now.

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Movie Review – Kandahar