13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)- Review

A review of one Michael Bay’s worst outings and it’s place within action cinema.

13 Hours (as it’ll be referred to fir convenience sake) is the story of six men and their battle against all odds in protecting a classified CIA annex from siege by local rebel forces, particularly detailing the 13 hour time period in which the attacks occur. The challenge the Film faces being the need to introduce and establish their core group of characters so we can at least engage with them in some form and from a seasoned director in Bay you’d expect him to be more than capable...though this was where my interest was first lost and hoped completely shattered. Jack Silva (John Krasinski) is the viewfinder, not so much a protagonist in the typical sense as he’s lacking massively as far as contribution to the narrative goes all I could tell you is he’s got a family back in America and that’s about it. Character does not exist here, all we know are the six men are all quote on quote “Alphas” that sweat pure testosterone, workout constantly and have some pretty offensive takes regarding the natives and their peers as they can’t see the value or purpose of the “suits” who as far as they’re concerned should shoulder the burden for this uprising. An extremely troubling representation of masculinity to say the least, Jack the lead literally takes on this job to escape his family, or at least that’s what the film suggests via some oddly placed flashback and honestly there’s no chemistry between the actors at all, it’s hard to get behind and troubling that such a massive Blockbuster has such a narrow mind of representation. Also note how the entirety of the security cell (the six) are very right leaning politically which culminates in some horrific conflicts with those and the natives that are enveloped in a sneering racism, treating them as lesser subjects that are completely incapable. Similarly the same applies to the few females seen in the film, they’re spoke of in passing jest as “banter” between the squad, Jack’s wife has the purpose of serving him sexually just popping out children as if they’re going out of fashion, and then there’s Sonia (Alexia Barlier) who’s risked time and time again and clearly has a high ranking role in the CIA, only to be dragged away every time before she can make headway on her task and is continually slammed by the men as not being aware, honestly it’s nothing short of caveman and utterly abhorrent to say the least.

Now, representations aside, this film is massively flawed by the fact that it’s not capable of translating to film at all. It’s the typical Bayhem you'll have no doubt come to expect from him but this time turned to 11. A car chase scene all but lifted straight from Bad Boys II (2003), explosions that have no source on screen and so on and so forth it’s obscene. You can’t follow the action as it’s just pure chaos only it’s for the purpose of being “cool” rather than some message on the nature of war and is really overly glamourous. There‘s even a point where the camera imitates a Sniper scope and comically people are blown 40 yards into the distance when shot, it’s owes so much to the FPS shooter and it won’t admit it which is irritating. And on a note of that, the entire reason why those games are massively successful is the offering of vicariously loving the life of a solider and have that primary media aspect, you’re for all intensive purposes there, in the action and that moment. Film, as much as it can do doesn’t have the capability for that, especially when consumed via DVD/Blu-Ray or any mobile format, perhaps VR could imitate such experience but currently this isn’t the case. At best it’s a look into how Bay views cinema, for the masses and a way to see what he wants in action, hence the far right nature (which is only more evident in his most recent ’6 Underground’ (2019)) and it’s pure, unadulterated Jingoism as America “Save the Day”.

Touched upon slightly earlier, John Krasinski is wasted. Personally I really struggle to separate him from his time on the US Office and this does him no favours in shaking that typecasting. Sure he’s got the action man look, and consists of about 98% muscle but he fades to the background and alarmingly fast. Jack Silva, his character is meant to be our way in, the new guy in town and yet the combined failure of Bay and Krasinski all but severs the tie between film and audience, there’s no emotional connection it’s just something that plays for 2 us hours as you sit and watch at flashing colours, soulless cash grab.

The plot is lacking here as well. You never truly get a sense of why the Americans are in Libya or what their goal is as that’s essentially by the by, it’s all about showing how the standoff played out and has no conviction. It doesn’t damn any involvement or the political landscape at the time it’s just ”Look war is cool” and strikes as highly irresponsible from Bay. That’s not even considering the fact That this is a true story. The film apparently made in honour of the real 6 who were involved and I for one would be appalled if somebody told my story in this manner. There’s no respect here at all, it’s a complete dramatisation, there’s not a shred of grounding here and honestly if it had a sequence where there was a space battle between aliens I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid, that’s how fast and loose it plays with reality. A complete and utter disservice to those really involved.

One of those in the wider War film genre that just fill the gaps and make up numbers it’s truly nothing more than an absolute waste of potential. Throwing away a golden chance of what could be a brilliant story for pure style, fails to make use of what it could explore via the type of film it is where counterparts such as ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘Jarhead’ contemplate identity and man this is just a complete throwaway. An absolute hot mess which is simultaneously Michael Bay’s wet dream. I’d advise you avoid this one at all costs viewers, it’s really not worth the obscene runtime