A Long Journey Toward “The Covenant” Film Review by Alex Moore

At some point, after I saw this movie, I mentioned it to a dear friend of mine and she asked if there had ever been any other films by that name before. I was caught slightly off guard and began to research. As it turns out, there have been two, other movies going by the title of “The Covenant.” Those two films had something in common: a premise centered around the supernatural, of sorts. THIS movie, not so much. When one sees the word “covenant” it tends to convey or elicit a certain, serious attention. It seems to demand a certain level of respect. So, what about the covenant in THIS film?

The movie is directed, written and produced by none other than Guy Ritchie (“Wrath of Man”), known most for his work in gangster films, in addition to the Sherlock Holmes movies, which starred Robert Downey Jr. Keep in mind, there were co-writing credits and co-producing credits for this project. Possibly the most impressive detail included within the main credits is that of Ed Wild, a relative newcomer, who was responsible for the cinematography in this venture. He did a remarkably good job, regardless of the supposition I have just made, concerning his previous work. If you can, try and remember that name for future reference.

Headlining the cast for “The Covenant” is Jake Gyllenhaal (“Ambulance”). Based on a true story about American military exploits in the nation of Afghanistan, Gyllenhaal is Sergeant John Kinley, a man leading a set of troops to uncover locations where Taliban members are building weapons to use against the American soldiers in the region. One thing that makes this story unique is the inclusion of roles played by local citizens, often motivated by the hope of immigrating over to The United States and/or the potential to exact vengeance on Taliban members who have hurt their families during the present-day struggles of warfare. I will openly admit, however, I am not a film critic who has been exposed to these types of movies very often, so I might be, yet again, making a supposition I should not have.

Joining Gyllenhaal’s character is Ahmed, played by Dar Salim (“Curveball”). Right off the bat, I like this actor due to his connection with the land of Denmark, albeit a slightly cheeky assertion. He has also served in the military and is a trained pilot, on top of his great skills as an actor. He is not without experience, but hopefully this part will gain him even more acclaim, which I believe he deserves. Ahmed is an interpreter, not merely a translator. He is one of the many serviceman of his homeland who wishes to bring his family a better life if he can just get out of this war-torn land. You might find yourself feeling the frustrations of those directly involved. Sometimes, doing things the right way is a lot more difficult than the alternatives.

At some point, due to insider information, Kinley and Ahmed, along with several other men in the outfit, are ambushed while discovering a weapons factory. Basically, the numbers are against them, and the outcome looks mighty grim. Somehow, these two survive and are faced with a new quest to make it back to the main base, which is a very tall order. All I can say is forget about the predictability of the story because it does not matter here. Rather, it is about the process of what we all expect to occur and that is where the awesomeness of the story truly exists.

You will find that it is not what makes us different that matters as much as what makes us the same. I realize that sounds like a tired cliché, but sometimes we need to be reminded of what we already know because we have taken it for granted. Who knows what liberties were taken during the process of production, but I do not think the connection we see develop between these two men is at all fabricated and it is a thing of beauty.

Kinley finds new life with the thanks of Ahmed. With that new lease on life comes a new purpose and that new purpose affects everyone around him. As you see that new directive unfold, think about the difference between what your duty or obligation is versus your passion and moral direction. Maybe the greatest outcome is one that involves both. I can only wonder if there are numerous, other tales just like this one. If so, there is a lot of work to do and more people ought to get involved, if they can.

“The Covenant” might lack substance in terms of its story, but when the story is true to real life, there is only so much material to work with. Sometimes, the amount of substance is unimportant if it is a VALUABLE substance. It is the real people involved that makes the difference and I cannot say enough about them, in this case. This movie is an opportunity for us, the audience, to get a glimpse of something we do not spend a lot of time thinking about in our everyday lives. For that, I am grateful and I think it was executed quite well.