It's 1961. Newly independent Congo is in the turmoil of a civil war fueled by the Cold War and mining riches. The UN sends Irish peacekeepers to the town of Jadotville in the middle of a rich uranium deposit. Moise Tshombe is the smiling murderous leader of the State of Katanga. He recruits 1000 French mercenaries from De Gaulle. Irish Commandant Pat Quinlan (Jamie Dornan) is inexperienced like the rest of his men. Sergeant Jack Prendergast (Jason O'Mara) is the hardened one. Irish politician Conor Cruise O'Brien (Mark Strong) leads the mission and orders an aggressive takeover of the Katanga capital. The situation spins out of control and Jadotville comes under seige by overwhelming forces.
This is a rather standard war movie especially with its battle actions. It has the thrills of the standard old war movie with the wave attacks. One expects better tactics from the enemy. This doesn't go that much into the personal lives of the soldiers. In a way, I appreciate that. The movie introduces a romantic interest but quickly cuts her out. It's as if somebody had a change of opinion about injecting a romance into the battle. The ending does come as a surprise. The truth needs some way to spice up the tension.
This is a rather standard war movie especially with its battle actions. It has the thrills of the standard old war movie with the wave attacks. One expects better tactics from the enemy. This doesn't go that much into the personal lives of the soldiers. In a way, I appreciate that. The movie introduces a romantic interest but quickly cuts her out. It's as if somebody had a change of opinion about injecting a romance into the battle. The ending does come as a surprise. The truth needs some way to spice up the tension.