Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant is an adrenaline-pumping action-thriller about the vows – tall promises made in Afghanistan. So, its story is set in war-ravaged Afghanistan, when the US troops were leaving this nation.
This story is set at a time when the United States (US) was reducing its troops’ presence and planning to leave Afghanistan – the country being overrun by the Taliban forces. The Taliban armed forces were in the ascendency, as they trying to take control of its national government. Therefore, the common Afghan citizens were inadvertently caught in the crossfire between the two heavily armed forces.
It is especially true for the Afghan interpreters (also the Afghan – police, military, and other officials), who worked for US forces, so the Taliban treated them as traitors – enemies to be punished and killed along with their families. The Covenant signifies a promise or a legal agreement with the Afghan people mentioned above by the US. By helping the US forces – they get a chance to earn money and an opportunity to migrate to Western nations with official visas. However, the ground realities turned out to be different for many of these Afghan people, as they were left to fend for themselves, as the troops from the NATO nations withdrew.
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Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant (2023) Movie:- details
| Genre | Action, Thriller, War, Drama, Mystery |
| Original title | Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant (it is to differentiate this film from several other movies called The Covenant) |
| Original language | English (USA) |
| Released | April-May 2023 |
| Age-restrictions | A (18+) |
| Duration | 2 hours 3 minutes |
| Writer | Guy Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies |
| Director | Guy Ritchie |
| Cast | Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim, Sean Sagar, Jason Wong, etc. |
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant (2023) Movie:- synopsis
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant follows US Army Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Dar Salim). After an ambush, Ahmed goes to Herculean lengths to save Kinley’s life. When Kinley learns that Ahmed and his family were not given safe passage to America as promised, he must repay his debt by returning to the war zone to retrieve them before the Taliban hunts them down first.
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant (2023) Movie:- {Spoilers Free} review
In the heartbreaking scenes, Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) talks about how too much bureaucratic red-tapism in the US has prevented Ahmed (Dar Salim) and his family from getting the promised US Visas.
Meanwhile, the Taliban hunts, to kill Ahmed.
The deal was that we offered his (Ahmed) family sanctuary. Then we tied a noose around his neck and kicked the stool out from under him.
John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal)
Besides its well-executed action sequences, the underlying theme of The Covenant film also talks about the strong bond – a family and a friendship; more so when the war is raging, the people will go to great lengths for their kin and buddy.
The Covenant film is a timely reminder of the futility of a decade-long war being fought in the vicinity of our nation, India. The hasty withdrawal of the US troops led to the most chaotic evacuation scenes seen in recent times, as many despairing Afghans crowded the border areas to leave the country by any means. We (me and my team members) realize that a good couple of years have gone by, but we are still unable to forget the unforgettable videos shot at the Kabul airport. Desperate Afghans tried to flee Afghanistan and then a scary news clip showed some people falling off aeroplanes.
Since then, the Taliban have taken control of Afghanistan within weeks of US (and NATO) troops leaving the country, and now the world is coming to terms with the worldwide crisis of Afghan refugees. I think that modern-day war movie like The Covenant is like a guilt trip. Its central theme depicts the feeling of too much helplessness and a little bit of wish fulfilment – on the part of US soldiers.
In a two-decade-long deployment in Afghanistan, it seems that the US soldiers forged a fairly strong bond with their Afghan partners, especially the interpreters. Yet, most of them could do nothing to fulfil their covenant.
I sincerely hope, that someday, Afghan filmmakers will make in-depth war movies/documentaries about Afghan misadventures. But as of now, the ground realities are grim. Till such time, we should always remember Afghanistan – a cradle of ancient civilization; about which the world has conveniently forgotten. So in a way, at least this film reminds people and asks them to fulfil – “A bond, A pledge, and A commitment.”
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant (2023) Movie:- poster
When the movie ends, the text content informs us that 300 Afghans have been killed and thousands are in hiding from the Taliban for having cooperated with the US (and the NATO forces); this is the harsh reality of war-torn Afghanistan.
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant (2023) Movie:- ratings
| FM’s rating | 4.05/5 |
| IMDb rating as of the date | 7.9/10 |
| Rotten Tomatoes ratings as of the date | 82% Tomatometer & 98% Audience Score |
| Critics Consensus / Rotten Tomatoes | A satisfying, well-acted war thriller with surprising dramatic depths, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant tells a solid story with impressive restraint. |
| Audience Says / Rotten Tomatoes | Come to Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant for the action — stay for some fantastic performances and a story that honors wartime sacrifices. |
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant (2023) Movie:- trailer
If you like contemporary action-packed movies like Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, then you might like to read about the Kandahar film too.
Featured & Other Images: Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant | MGM.