13 Hours Movie Review

Article by Gabe Zia

Lazy Film Critic Movie Reviews

13 Hours

13 Hours (the Secret Soldiers of Benghazi) as an action-thriller directed by Michael Bay, and it follows the true story of six US soldiers stationed in Benghazi, who had to fight to defend an American compound from terrorists on September 11th, 2012. The film stars John Krakinski, James Badge Dale, Pablo Schreiber, David Costabile, and Alexia Barlier.

So right off the bat, this is a Michael Bay film, so nobody is going to go into this movie wanting anything special, it just needs to be entertaining. And it's exactly that, entertaining. And say what you will about Michael Bay, but he at least knows how to direct an action sequence and do it well. The action sequences displayed in 13 Hours are honestly some of the best I've seen Michael Bay do, and are absolutely the most intense sequences in any of his movies.

Now, normally this where the positives of the movie would end, especially for a Michael Bay movie. But, surprisingly enough, this is actually one of his most well-made films to date. The acting is pretty good, especially from John Krakinski who is shockingly good with action. The cinematography in the movie is really good, with a more than a few really memorable shots. And the writing is some of the best I've seen in a Michael Bay film. The comedic moments aren't Bays usual absurd obnoxious humour, the humour is mostly in the banter and the dialogue. And despite it being mostly a Michael Bay action movie, this movie is pretty balanced, and it's a lot better paced than the large majority of Hollywood blockbusters. This movie knows when to have an action sequence, and when to slow things down and just let people be people. It's a rare quality, especially coming from Michael Bay.

Now of course, there are flaws. This is a Michael Bay movie and a January release, it's not going to be perfect. It uses shaky cam, it uses Bays trademark fireworks, and there were a few moments where his weird sense of humour shows up, which really stood out. However, it's honestly not enough to ruin the movie. Normally, I can't stand most Michael Bay-isms, but this movie doesn't really feel like a Michael Bay movie. This movie feels like Black Hawk Down, it feels like a really cool war movie, not a Michael Bay over the top action movie.

Final Rating
13 Hours is a fantastic start to 2016, I was enormously impressed with this movie, and it's one of the biggest surprises in a very long time. Although The Rock is still my favorite film by Michael Bay, 13 Hours is by far his most well-made film. John Krakinski does an amazing job with action, I honestly can't wait to see him in more action-based roles. If you have the time, go check out 13 Hours. It's well worth it.