Guy Ritchie has made a career out of mostly witty crime films in which groups of slippery characters speak wildly in accents. Couple that with some stylish action, and Richie has developed a cult following. He occasionally directed franchise films like his two Sherlock Holmes Movies or you Aladdin A live action remake, but mostly it sticks to the formula. Richie breaks the mold in the most daring way with his latest, United States. Set in Afghanistan, this is perhaps his most mature work to date, as it focuses on the relationship between a US Army officer and his Afghan interpreter and the bond of brotherhood they form with each other.
It’s not a genre-defining war movie, but it showcases what Ritchie is capable of as a director when he has a great script and a willingness to abandon his usual silliness to tell a great story. That’s not to say the film doesn’t still sprinkle in some Richie-esque scenes here and there with characters joking and cursing. But it is much more subdued than most of his films and aims to be a more direct war film in tone. Although simplistic, the dynamic between Jake Gyllenhaal and the characters of Dar Selim can’t help but hug you in. Neither is based on any one person, but Ritchie’s grounded approach and strong script will have you believing that these are specific people.
That, and the excellent performance. Gyllenhaal’s character is an interesting one. He’s not necessarily a nice guy and he’s completely suspicious of Salim’s character for a third of the running time. Even as Salim’s character proves his worth, this bold manner never really goes away, whereas a lesser film might have a behavioral change. Also, the character of Salim is never portrayed in an overly idealized way. The Taliban killed his son, strengthening his desire to avenge them, but his main goal is simply to get his family home. He has never shown that he harbors nationalistic concerns or commits to a path of revenge. Indeed, one of the themes going on comes from the title. These are characters who feel an obligation – to each other, to their families, to their mission. This is a film that neither condemns total war nor celebrates it, but deals with the strength of bonds. Both shows give you two well-rounded, realistic people to relate to throughout the run time.
The film really shines in some of its action sequences. A suspenseful sequence involving the two leads trying to navigate the desert and escape the Taliban is clouded with tension and intensity. You feel that just one wrong step will result in their death. The real danger of danger lends a wonderful weight to the action and a sense of stake. Ritchie frames his shots perfectly, and combined with deliberate sound design, this is a film that feels intense without being overly violent.
United States It is not a film with deep or nuanced ideas and themes. but United States It’s a taste of something that was sorely lacking: established action movies with strong performances and a smart script. Certainly, stamping the director’s name on the publication can be seen as a way of trying to get people to show up who otherwise wouldn’t show up. I hope Guy Ritchie does more stuff like this.
