Lone Survivor (2013)

Mark Wahlberg's war drama shows a mission gone wrong in Afghanistan.   This is a profile of modern warfare,  which is strikingly different from traditional war.   To be totally honest,  the setup seemed a little slow,  but such is modern war in which you must be patient.  Once the action starts,  it is unrelenting--fitting for such a brutal war.

The character development is a bit weak.   Why do we care about what happens to these characters?  Because they are servicemen who sacrifice their lives.  Their bravery and courage is inherent.   The opening sequence gives us a general sense of comradery and brotherhood.   We can characterize them stereotypically by what we know about the military,  but we don't really get to know any of these characters as individuals,  not even Mark Wahlberg's protagonist.