The Outpost Parent Guide

A secluded combat outpost just 14 miles from the Afghanistan/Pakistan border has more problems than it has troops. The mortality rate for commanding officers is daunting, and the resulting changes in command styles and relationships with the local village elders have caused a great deal of tension. The outpost only has 53 soldiers, and supplies are limited. To make things worse, in time of crisis, air support could be two hours away. Despite reports indicating that the outpost is untenable, the US Army has determined that is must remain operational…but at what cost?

The Outpost is based on a non-fiction book of the same name by Jake Tapper, which details the Battle of Kamdesh, one of the bloodiest battles for US forces in the region. I can’t swear to the historical accuracy of the plot (although a quick scan of the Wikipedia page seems to indicate that it’s more or less accurate), but I can swear that the film simply isn’t that interesting.

That’s not to say that the personal plight of the soldiers isn’t worth attention, or that the battle wasn’t a significant part of the US occupation in that area – only that the film is juggling far too many balls at once. The historical story, dozens of named characters, interpersonal conflicts, and the combat itself are too much for the film to bear, and instead of providing a taut, tense narrative, it dissolves into a confused mess. The action isn’t terribly well done either, with most of it comprising of shots of heavily armed American soldiers firing at….nothing in particular.

Despite that, plenty of people are shot and blown up, and there is plenty of gore to be had. But bullets and mortars aren’t the artillery of choice here – in 123 minutes of runtime, there are about 401 “f” bombs. I say “about” because sometimes they were coming so thick and fast that I’m nearly certain I missed a few. I would love to say that I’m dedicated enough to have skipped back to check, but frankly, watching this movie once was more than enough.

There are ways to make war movies about untenable positions interesting: hopelessness and the pressure of orders from a distant and uninformed command are huge aspects of some of the best war movies. The Outpost just fails to capitalize on any broader theme, and the film winds up feeling stuck and restless. Things change, people argue, and people are killed – but there is no broader message. Without that kind of overarching strategy, The Outpost falls to pieces, much like the combat outpost it portrays.