Guy Ritchie’s latest is the story of an officer’s commitment to his soldier. A film starring Jake Gyllenhaal that, despite some flaws, can tell its story well and satisfy the audience.
Guy Ritchie, an English director who has been making more films these years and even this year has two films ready for screening, in alliance, the background of Afghanistan and the US military presence in this country has been used as a basis for defining the story. About peace and friendship and in praise of a friendly relationship that develops between an American officer and an Afghan soldier-interpreter. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Officer John Kinley, and Dar Salim plays the role of a translator who develops a deep friendship in John.
In the continuation of the text, the story of the film is revealed.
The film makes one of its main narrative turns based on this. The relationship between Jan and Ahmed, which is not so casual at the beginning, gradually turns into a deep and friendly relationship during the film’s adventures.
In 2001, after the attack on the twin towers of New York, the US government decided to directly enter Afghanistan and take military measures to fight against the terrorism of the Taliban. movie story, short liner alliance It also happens in such a situation and we are dealing with a group of American officers and soldiers who are responsible for finding and neutralizing the ammunition and weapons that the Taliban has hidden in the corners of Afghanistan. To advance their activities, they need translators to facilitate their communication with the Afghan people.
The story takes place in 2018. where Ahmed (played by Dar Salim) enters John Kinley’s company as a new translator. From the beginning, Ahmed is presented as a different person – while emphasizing his abilities. Ahmed is someone who does not take orders and such a person would probably be unpleasant for an American combat officer. At first, John is not too sure about his choice, and the things that Ahmed does on his own cause tensions between the two of them.
However, the film makes one of its main narrative turns based on this. The relationship between John and Ahmed, which is not so casual at first, gradually turns into a deep and friendly relationship during the film’s adventures. To the extent that both of them are willing to risk their lives to save the other. Ahmad, by declaring his opinion about the route to one of the possible bases of Taliban weapons, saves the lives of the soldiers of the battalion, and this is the turning point in John’s relationship with him. alliance In its narrative, it is subject to several different patterns, and perhaps this issue can be considered as one of the attractions of the film in storytelling; Although in each of these patterns, it is reminiscent of other examples that have been made before and have taken place in the minds of cinema audiences.
In its narrative, Peyman’s film is subject to several different patterns and reminds of other examples of films that have been made before and are in the minds of cinema audiences.
The film, precisely where we face the wounding of John, departs from the main genre in which the story is told, and in a way, to the genre of “trying for survival” or survival. Becomes; A genre that is reminiscent of many movies for cinema audiences. This is where we witness Ahmed’s efforts to save his life. He tries to save John from the predicament they are stuck in, secretly and strangely and only relying on himself. They are in a province under the control of the Taliban and they have to defend themselves in any way possible. While the Talabanis are looking hard for these two people, Ahmed carries Jan on his shoulders, puts him on a cart, gives him food and water, and…
This part of the film, being in the mentioned genre, reminds a lot of one of the brilliant films in the history of cinema: dead man, by Jim Jarmusch in 1995. There, Edward Blake (played by Johnny Depp) takes a wound and is his companion who takes him along with him throughout the film and somehow prepares him for his big journey (death) – while three professional assassins are hired to kill Blake. find dead or alive. Although the story in that film is different and the goal is something else, there are many similarities between this situation in Ritchie’s film and Jarmusch’s film.
Another similarity is that in both cases, the person who takes the responsibility of saving is among the minorities in terms of classic Hollywood. In Jarmusch’s film, it is an Indian who bears this responsibility, and in Ritchie’s film, Ahmed – who is an Afghan translator – bears such responsibility. In both films, both people can cope with this task, according to the purpose and content of the film.
With Ahmed and Jan returning to another province and being found by the rest of the American soldiers, the film ends its first stage (where it is located right in the middle of the film). From here on, we are with John, who is being treated and returned to America so that he can return to a normal life and fully recover his health. But the call of conscience does not leave him. Not knowing about Ahmed’s fate and knowing that he is still in a critical condition and that the Taliban has placed a valuable reward on his head prevents him from resting. This is where he returns to the film’s opening pact.
The complete inclusion of the film in the abyss of the genre makes many of the film’s situations predictable and the film cannot surprise the audience.
It was supposed that the Afghan translators, in order to save their lives and because of their cooperation with the American army, could easily go to America with a visa issued by the American government and spend the rest of their lives there. But the failure of this situation in the case of Ahmad makes John risk his life to return to Afghanistan and save Ahmad from the predicament he is stuck in. It is from this moment that the film enters a new pattern. A pattern that can be said to be one of its prominent examples we saw earlier in 1998, in one of Steven Spielberg’s most enduring films: the saving of private Ryan.
In that movie, we are faced with such a situation: during World War II, John Miller (played by Tom Hanks) is assigned to find Private Ryan (played by Matt Damon) and bring him back to America. This mission itself causes activities on Miller’s part so that he can finally find Ryan. The idea that alliance It is also traceable. John returned to Afghanistan to find Ahmed and then bring him back to America. alliance In its second half, it revolves around this idea and tells the story of John’s self-proclaimed mission to the audience.
alliance can be considered a buddy film in general, along with the rest of the genres it uses. A movie about friendship. In its classic form, male friendships. A friendship that shapes characters and makes them into something they weren’t before. Here too, it is John who changes the most; As far as he is willing to find and save Ahmed, he will pass his wife and children.
Guy Ritchie’s movie is generally acceptable. Of course, the complete inclusion of the film in the abyss of the genre makes many of the film’s situations predictable and the film cannot surprise the audience. It can also be considered as having minor flaws. One of these issues is in the way of unraveling the knot in the final scene. Where Eddie Parker’s drug squad discovers John’s true identity. An incident that happens completely by accident and only in order to reach the happy ending of the movie. The next issue is in the unpaid character of Caroline (John’s wife), who is too one-dimensional and therefore unbelievable. However, alliance It is a movie that can satisfy the audience.
