Omari Gates
The 2018 American action-war film 12 Strong is based on Doug Stanton's non-fiction book Horse Soldiers and tells the story of U.S. Army Special Forces sent to Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks. The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, and others, and was released in the United States on January 19, 2018, by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is available to stream in Australia on YouTube, Stan, Prime Video, Apple TV Store, SBS On Demand, and Prime Video Store.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Release date | 19 January 2018 |
| Genre | Action, Drama, History |
| Rating | 6.5/10 |
| Runtime | Not found |
| Streaming platforms | YouTube, Stan, Prime Video, Apple TV Store, SBS On Demand, Prime Video Store |
| Rotten Tomatoes score | 50% |
| Rotten Tomatoes average rating | 5.5/10 |
| Metacritic score | 54/100 |
| CinemaScore rating | A |
| PostTrak rating | 81% overall positive score, 63% "definite recommend" |
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What You'll Learn
Where to watch 12 Strong in Australia
12 Strong is an American action-war film based on Doug Stanton's non-fiction book, Horse Soldiers. It was released in the United States on 19 January 2018.
If you're based in Australia, you can watch 12 Strong on a number of streaming platforms. The movie is available on YouTube, Stan, Prime Video, Apple TV, SBS On Demand, and the Prime Video Store.
The film centres on the first U.S. Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11. Led by Captain Mitch Nelson (played by Chris Hemsworth), the soldiers must form an alliance with Northern Alliance General Dostum to take on the Taliban and its al-Qaida allies. Despite their best efforts, the team faces overwhelming odds in a fight against a ruthless enemy.
With a star-studded cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, and Trevante Rhodes, 12 Strong delivers a thrilling, fact-based story. The film received mixed reviews, with some praising the cast and action, while others criticized the lack of depth and by-the-numbers execution.
If you're in Australia and are keen to watch 12 Strong, be sure to check out the streaming platforms mentioned above.
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12 Strong's cast
The cast of 12 Strong includes:
- Chris Hemsworth as Captain Mitch Nelson, the leader of the U.S. Special Forces team.
- Michael Shannon as Hal Spencer, one of the soldiers on the team.
- Michael Peña
- Navid Negahban as General Abdul Rashid Dostum, the Northern Alliance warlord who the U.S. forces join to fight the Taliban.
- Trevante Rhodes
- Geoff Stults
- Thad Luckinbill
- Ben O'Toole as SFC Pat Essex, the intellectual and engineer of the team.
- William Fichtner
- Rob Riggle as Lieutenant Colonel Max Bowers, a 3rd battalion commander in the 5th Special Forces Group.
- Austin Stowell as Staff Sergeant Fred Falls, an American soldier on the elite U.S. Special Forces team.
- Elsa Pataky
The film is based on a true story and depicts the first victory in the war in Afghanistan, with the capture of Mazar-i-Sharif by U.S. and Northern Alliance forces. It showcases the heroism and bravery of the 12 soldiers, who, despite facing overwhelming odds and a lack of trust from their allies, were able to complete their mission and return home safely.
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The plot of 12 Strong
12 Strong (also known as 12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers) is an American action-war film released in 2018. It is based on Doug Stanton's non-fiction book, Horse Soldiers, which tells the story of the first U.S. Army Special Forces sent to Afghanistan immediately after the September 11 attacks.
The film centres on Captain Mitch Nelson (Chris Hemsworth), a U.S. Army captain with Green Berets Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 595. On September 11, 2001, Nelson is moving into a new home with his family after receiving a staff duty assignment under Lieutenant Colonel Bowers. However, as news of the devastating terrorist attacks breaks, Nelson volunteers to lead a Special Forces team into Afghanistan. Despite Bowers' initial refusal, veteran soldier CW5 Hal Spencer persuades him to give Nelson command of ODA 595.
ODA 595 is covertly inserted into Afghanistan on October 19, 2001, aboard a Boeing MH-47 Chinook helicopter. They land 40 miles south of Mazar-i-Sharif, a longtime stronghold of the Taliban, where they meet General Dostum, an Afghan warlord and leader of the Northern Alliance, the enemies of the Taliban. The team must overcome mutual distrust and cultural differences, as well as adapt to the rudimentary tactics of the Afghani horse soldiers. Six of the 12 members, led by Nelson, accompany Dostum to the mountains, while the remaining six, under Spencer's command, stay in a fortified camp nicknamed "The Alamo".
Dostum is attempting to capture the northern Afghanistan city of Mazar-i-Sharif while battling Taliban leader Mullah Razzan, who rules local communities brutally under strict Sharia law and has murdered several people, including Dostum's family. Despite initial skepticism, Nelson gradually earns Dostum's respect. However, in one battle, Dostum makes a tactical error, resulting in several casualties. This leads to a confrontation between Nelson and Dostum, with Nelson accusing the warlord of carelessness and withholding information.
Spencer is critically injured by a suicide bomber, and the team faces heavy pressure from Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces. However, Dostum returns with his forces, and together with the Americans, they carry out the U.S. Army's first cavalry charge of the 21st century, dispersing the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Dostum then tracks down and kills Razzan. After Spencer is evacuated for medical treatment, Nelson and Dostum continue to Mazar-i-Sharif but find that Atta Muhammad has beaten them there. Impressed by their efforts, Dostum forms a close bond with Nelson, giving him his prized riding crop and declaring him a brother and fellow fighter.
Ultimately, all 12 soldiers of ODA 595 return home after 23 days of continuous fighting in Afghanistan. The capture of Mazar-i-Sharif by the Horse Soldiers is considered one of the U.S. military's greatest achievements, accomplished in just three weeks. Despite the success of their mission, the soldiers returned to their everyday lives without fanfare or public acknowledgment due to the classified nature of their operation.
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![12 Strong [Blu-Ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71beg6P96DL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Critical reception of 12 Strong
The 2018 American action-war film 12 Strong received mixed reviews from critics. While some praised the cast and action, others criticised the by-the-numbers execution and lack of insight into the War in Afghanistan.
Reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an average rating of 5.5/10, with a consensus that it had a "solid cast, honorable intentions, and a thrilling, fact-based story — all of which are occasionally enough to balance a disappointing lack of depth or nuance". One reviewer on the site called the film entertaining, praising the history, motivation, and values portrayed, as well as the use of real sets. However, they criticised the lack of depth in exploring the rest of the Squadron, which made it difficult to empathise with them. Another Rotten Tomatoes reviewer echoed this sentiment, calling the film "nothing new" and "hollow", with "plenty of action" but "no real character depth".
Roger Ebert described the film as "understated", which is surprising for a Jerry Bruckheimer production. They also noted that the film could have benefited from more narrative momentum, as it eventually felt "overlong and repetitive". While the ensemble cast was impressive, the characters were "thinly drawn".
Other critics found the film to be a good portrayal of a true story of heroism, with well-staged action and a good pace. The film was also commended for its gritty realism and avoidance of sweeping sentimentality. It was noted that the film managed to be patriotic while also hinting at the complexities of the war and the American involvement in Afghanistan.
However, some viewers were more critical, with one IMDb review stating that the film was "standard Hollywood-version military exercise" and "pure American propaganda". Another review on Metacritic called it a "jaunty imperial adventure" that did not allow for any "complicated thoughts about war, colonisation, and mortality".
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The true story behind 12 Strong
The 2018 American action-war film 12 Strong is based on Doug Stanton's non-fiction book Horse Soldiers, which tells the true story of U.S. Army Special Forces sent to Afghanistan immediately after the September 11 attacks. The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, Navid Negahban, Trevante Rhodes, Geoff Stults, Thad Luckinbill, Ben O'Toole, William Fichtner, and Rob Riggle.
The story centres around the first Special Forces soldiers to enter Afghanistan in the weeks following the 9/11 attacks. Their mission was to defeat the Taliban and render Afghanistan unsafe for terrorists. The film depicts these soldiers as riding on horseback as they pursued the Taliban over the mountainous Afghanistan terrain. After a series of intense battles, they captured the strategically important city of Mazar-i-Sharif. The American soldiers were welcomed as liberators as they rode into the city, and the streets filled with Afghans overjoyed that the Taliban regime had been overthrown.
The film also portrays the personal vignettes of the Special Forces operatives and their Afghan comrades. One notable moment is when Team Leader Captain Mitch Nelson observes the Afghan Northern Alliance soldiers giving their blankets to their horses and resolves to fight with the same selflessness. Another scene depicts the Horse Soldiers being ambushed by would-be POWs during a surrender of six hundred Taliban troops, leading to a dangerous battle in the city's immense fortress, Qala-i-Jangi, or the House of War.
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Frequently asked questions
The movie 12 Strong was released in 2018.
12 Strong is available to stream in Australia on YouTube, Stan, Prime Video, Apple TV Store, SBS On Demand, and Prime Video Store.
12 Strong is an action-war film based on Doug Stanton's non-fiction book Horse Soldiers. It tells the story of U.S. Army Special Forces sent to Afghanistan immediately after the September 11 attacks.
![12 Strong [4K UHD] [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71jWY4QXWKL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
