Bravo Two Zero - No Action Heroes Here

Bravo Two Zero is based on a book by former Sergeant Andy McNabb of the 22nd Special Air Services, a British unit that served in the first Gulf War.  Whether or not his account of events is accurate has come under fire by two others present during the mission.  The Special Operations mission was to destroy Saddam Hussein's SCUD missile bases during the first Gulf War in January 1991.  This was imperative as Hussein was launching the SCUDs at Israel hoping to draw them into the war.  He knew if they joined the war, all the Arab states would drop their support for the war.  What really happened during the mission is something the world may never know.    

Sean Bean stars as Andy McNabb who also narrates the events that take place.  There is actual news footage used to supplement the story.  The film opens with the men preparing to leave their families and say their goodbyes.  It's not drawn out or set to music to evoke an emotion in the viewer.  In fact, the way it's handled in a matter-of-fact way goes a long way to establishing what these men and their families really go through.  It's emotionally charged while at the same time being something they're used to.  For them, this was their chance at war in their lifetime. 

When this mission comes up, the eight-man team of the 22ndSAS finds themselves inserted behind enemy lines right near a concentration of Iraqi troops.  One thing after another seems to go wrong for the mission.  It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout to see whether they could do all they had set out to do as well as escape in the end to Syria as well as who could and would survive. 

Produced by the BBC and Directed by Tom Clegg (who also Directed Bean in the Sharpe series of tele-films), Bravo Two Zero is quite good, if only for its lack of sensationalism.  The facts of the mission might be debated by those who participated, but the way this is portrayed is quite good.  I prefer the films that are trying to simply tell a story rather than create a hero, and although McNabb might have set out to do that in his book, it’s not overdone here.  The men do have to fight their way out of bad situations as well as endure torture, but there’s no unbelievably heroic moments.  They are just good soldiers trying to succeed with a very difficult mission. 

Bean is excellent as McNabb, both in the narration and the performance.  It’s easy to follow, even for those of us unfamiliar with military protocol and terms.  His role is faithful to McNabb’s book, but Bean doesn’t need to overdo it and become the ultimate action hero.  He seems to be a soldier that wants to finish what he’s set out to do and isn’t looking for accolades. If McNabb has distorted the truth in the book, that is on him, but Bean does a terrific job in a role I would have easily seen actors like Mel Gibson or Tom Cruise sensationalizing.  It makes the film so much better.  I give kudos to him for not having to have his ego fed and instead telling the story accurate to the material it was based on. 

The production values are quite good.  The battle scenes are handled well with intensity and tension.  The special effects are probably closer to what it’s actually like than most Hollywood productions, not looking to dazzle the audience but looking to tell the story. 

I recommend Bravo Two Zero for most people to get a taste of what that first Gulf War was like and the difficulty soldiers faced on missions. Without the sensationalism that usually accompanies Hollywood war stories, it does a great job painting what it’s like for these soldiers, and especially looking at a military that’s different from ours here in the U.S., a new appreciation for our allies. 

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