The Siege of Jadotville (2016)

Pretty Good

Boring

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

This was an unexpected thrilling movie absolutely terrific true story well acted scripted directed. 10 out of 10 well done Ireland.

Set in the 1960s a 150 strong and very green U.N. Irish regiment holds off a Congo / French mercenary military force which is 20 times their number defending a remote radio station camp.This actually did happen and there was U.N. political incompetence and U.N. political tragedy after the president of the Congo was assassinated for nationalising the mineral rich Cobalt and Uranium mines in the area which paid mercenaries and the new corrupt president and his army vowed to defend for the companies and keep them as private entities.These Irish soldiers were seriously left to die almost by the U.N. in a political game which saw them face impossible odds and in the face of adversity they showed immense bravery. The movie ends in a rather sombre mood which makes us realise that there is often more honour amongst soldiers than there is with politicians.

...that normally wouldn't be distributed as it wasn't about American soldiers. And in fact it wasn't distributed until Netflix picked up and some of the smarter raters highlighted it. Nicely done Netflix. Based on a true story about an Irish peacekeeping mission in the Congo under the UN flag in the early 60's where the military is hung out to dry. A time where the UN was focused on legitimacy while the world was focused on the cold war. Solid acting, good script, reasonable cinematography. This is not a high budget thriller, or, thankfully Hollywood propaganda, hype or horse----, but a reasonable telling of a true and fascinating story that encourages you to read the full facts on what actually happened.

I'll give this film a 6.5 / 10. It nearly was a good film, let down by rather stupid stereotypes and plot holes.. After I looked at the account on wikipedia of the actual event / people I found this film even more irritating. What I liked: The actors for the Irish soldiers all come across well. You do get the idea of close knit small unit facing their baptism of fire. Battle scenes were quite exciting. What I didn't like. The usual (of late) Hollywood bad writing /character stereo types/ assuming the audience is stupid. The portrayal of the intrigues and schenanigans of the UN, Charles De Gaule, big company mining operations, mercenaries and African politics was just mind numbingly bad. 2d cardboard cartoon caricatures and scheming worthy of Wiley Coyote. I suspect if they edited the lot out it would be a better film.Pork pie beret's everywhere. The guy who played the chief mercenary had no charisma at all. But I grudgingly did enjoy the film despite myself. Watch once but never again.