Special Forces
Seen it?2011 | 109 min | Action, Drama, War
Monday Morning MaybeWhy it’s a Monday Morning Maybe
With just 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, almost no lasting buzz and a box office loss, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for action fans and history buffs. If you loved Guy Ritchie's The Covenant or Lone Survivor, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
- The mood
- Intense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 49 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Critics were cooler on it than audiences.
Afghanistan. War correspondent Elsa Casanova is taken hostage by the Taliban. Faced with her imminent execution, a Special Forces unit is dispatched to free her. In some of the world’s most breathtaking yet hostile landscapes, a relentless pursuit begins between her kidnappers who have no intention of letting their prey escape them and a group of soldiers who risk their lives in pursuit of their single aim – to bring her home alive. This strong, independent woman and these men of duty are thrown together and forced to confront situations of great danger that inextricably bind them – emotionally, violently and intimately.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsWeak
15% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.7 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$3 million worldwide on a $10 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 21K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Stéphane Rybojad
- Diane KrugerElsa Casanova
- Djimon HounsouCommander Kovax
- Benoît MagimelCaptain 'Tic-Tac '
- Denis MénochetCaptain Lucas
- Raphaël PersonnazElias, sniper
- Alain FiglarzVictor
- Alain AlivonMarius
- Mehdi NebbouAmin, Elsa's guide
- Raz DeganAhmed Zaief, leader of the hostage takers
- Tchéky KaryoAdmiral Guezennec