Starring: John Krasinski, James Badge Dale, Pablo Schreiber, David Denman, Max Martini, David Giuntoli, Matt Letscher, Toby Stephens, Dominic Fumusa, and David Costabile.
Directed By: Michael Bay

Probably the most serious thing Michael Bay has ever directed. It’s the story of the heroes of Benghazi, and despite your political leanings, it’s an important film to watch. These men risked their lives to save others, and this is the story that is told. It’s also Michael Bay’s best film since The Rock.

Featuring a cast comprised largely of TV stars, 13 Hours does a good job of showing us who these men are, and telling a compelling tale of a few hours of their lives. It’s a stronger film than American Sniper, and it makes good use of its 2 1/2 hour running time.

The cast is spectacular, notably John Krasinki, who shows a lot of dramatic weight in his performance. He’s rarely challenged like this as an actor, and he’s fantastic. I hope he gets more opportunity to explore his range in the future. I was also impressed with David Giuntoli, who doesn’t get a lot of serious moments on Grimm, but offers a lot here in his supporting role.

I missed this in theatres, but caught it at Redbox. Definitely a film worth watching. It’s not quite Saving Private Ryan, but it’s at least Black Hawk Down. It’s a shame this film didn’t get more attention because people were so worried about the political angle behind the film, when truly, this film has no agenda except to pay tribute to the lives lost that day, and to honor our heroes.

FINAL GRADE: A-