TIFF Review: Kilo Two Bravo

While on patrol British paratroopers in Afghanistan get caught in the middle of a minefield.

New British troops come in to relieve another platoon which has been stationed on a hilltop outpost situated in Afghanistan.  Taliban soldiers are active in the area but they are not the only threat as the Russians during the 1980s planted over 10 million landmines.  The historical fact leads to casualties as a patrol unwittingly finds themselves stuck in a minefield which complicates and delays the rescue by helicopter.

Kilo Two Bravo is based on a real incident that occurred in 2006 and it does not hold back in depicting the grim consequences of warfare.  The first 30 minutes deals with getting to know the various soldiers through their comradery with each other.  When disaster hits the film becomes a contained thriller situated in the outdoors. The story takes on a stage play quality as the actors become limited in their mobility so the dialogue becomes critical in being able to capture the interest of the audience.

The majority of the camera shots are taken from the perspective of the trapped soldiers and there is a sun-baked quality to the colour pallet which emphasizes the heat, ruggedness and dryness of the terrain.  No fault can be found with the acting but one wonders if scenes could have been tightened as the intensity wavers as the predicament drags on.  Filmmaker Paul Katis has done an admirable job with his feature debut which sees him make the most of a constricting premise as the dramatic attention is focused on how the various soldiers interact with each other.

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada; he can be found at LinkedIn.