Special Forces (2012)

15% of critics liked it
(13 reviews)
52% of users liked it
(1,773 ratings)

In Stéphane Rybojad's Special Forces, war correspondent Elsa Cassanova (Diane Kruger) is taken hostage by the Taliban. Faced with her imminent execution, a Special Forces unit is dispatched to free her. In some of the worlds' most breathtaking yet hostile landscapes, a relentless pursuit… More In Stéphane Rybojad's Special Forces, war correspondent Elsa Cassanova (Diane Kruger) is taken hostage by the Taliban. Faced with her imminent execution, a Special Forces unit is dispatched to free her. In some of the worlds' most breathtaking yet hostile landscapes, a relentless pursuit begins between her kidnappers and a group of soldiers (Djimon Hounsou, Benoît Magimel, Denis Ménochet) who risk their lives to bring her home alive. -- (C) Entertainment One

Directed By: Stéphane Rybojad
Written By: Michael Cooper, Stéphane Rybojad
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Oct 12, 2012 Limited
Studio: Entertainment One

Critic Reviews

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
If you turned the sound off and removed the subtitles, you might actually think you were watching an old Hollywood shoot-'em-up.
Andy Webster, New York Times
"Special Forces" aims to inspire but ends up wallowing in melodrama.
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
It's not only Americans who can make leaden, video game-style exercises in dumb war action.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
An uneven effort ...
Chris Packham, Village Voice
Could have been hilariously subversive if director Stéphane Rybojad had pushed it further.
Paul Chambers, Movie Chambers
"Special Forces" has nothing constructive to say about bravery or the conflict in Afghanistan. It's just mindless action, and boring to boot.
Todd Jorgenson, Cinemalogue.com
Stephane Rybojad has seen too many Hollywood action movies, because the director of this overwrought and borderline laughable French war film copies many of them.
Chris Sawin, Examiner.com
Predictable and run of the mill with terrible music and the most generic editing around, Special Forces feels like it lasts the 11 days it chronicles.
Maitland McDonagh, Film Journal International
Imagine Saving Private Ryan relocated to Afghanistan and Pakistan and you have the gist of first-time feature filmmaker Stéphane Rybojad's actioner about the rescue of a French journalist marked for death by the Taliban.
Roger Moore, McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Solid entertainment, a chest-thumping (and reporter-hating) recruiting film in the "Act of Valor" mold - but with a French accent.
Rob Humanick, Slant Magazine
The film walks a questionable line between Important Issue seriousness and antsy video-game machismo.
Paul Weedon, Little White Lies
War is awful. We get it.
Lisa Giles-Keddie, Real.com
Has an amusing, arrogant French Rambo-esque appeal to it that paints an uncompromising and lengthy black-and-white picture of the Afghanistan issue.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Al S

It's solid entertainment. An action movie that almost hits all the right notes. A fantastic men-on-a-mission action flick with great characters and emotion. A strong, compelling, deeply moving and shattering movie that packed with heart and sacrifice. It's has elements of… More
It's solid entertainment. An action movie that almost hits all the right notes. A fantastic men-on-a-mission action flick with great characters and emotion. A strong, compelling, deeply moving and shattering movie that packed with heart and sacrifice. It's has elements of Tears of the Sun and Black Hawk Down. A sensational action-packed thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. It's terrifically shot and well-crafted and wonderfully performed. It has some great locations and scenery and is one of the more true to tactical and strategic methods of your standard military drama. It's packed with heart-pounding action, searing human drama and a great story. A captivating and enthralling knockout of a film. An unforgettable adventure. A tremendous all-star cast, who have great chemistry together. Diane Kruger is a revelation. Djimon Hounsou is magnificent. Benoit Magimel is terrific. An explosive and wickedly entertaining movie.
Stuart B

Enjoyed it, nthing spectacular but a lot better than some yank glory hunting version

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Cast

Diane Kruger
as Elsa, Elsa Cassanova
Djimon Hounsou
as Kovax
Benoît Magimel
as Tic Tac
Denis Menochet
as Lucas
Raphael Personnaz
as Elias
Alain Figlarz
as Victor
Alain Alivon
as Marius
Mehdi Nebbou
as Amin
Raz Degan
as Ahmed Zaief
Tcheky Karyo
as l'Amiral Guezennec

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Special Forces (2012)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Al S

Stuart B

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