“13 Hours”

John Krasinski, “The Office”, is the central character playing Jack Silva, an ex Navy Seal who is in Libya as a “contractor” providing protection for CIA personnel housed at “The Annex”, located nearby the Consulate which was overrun on 9/11/2012.

Bay does a great job capturing the chaos and bone shattering devastation of a prolonged firefight.  Amidst the darkness and the tracer bullets it is impossible to decipher friend from foe.  The bravery of the small group of “contractors”, all special operations combat veterans is at the core of the account.  Ordered to stay out of the siege,  they boldly disobey and do what they have no doubt done before and take the fight to the enemy, knowing it could likely be their last.

Your heart will break for Ambassador Chris Stevens and the three other members of his staff who lost their lives that night.  Bay does not go “political” in this film but rather follows the story as it was told in Zuckhoff’s book based on the account of the contractors who tried to secure the compound.  One thing is clear.  Help did not come.

Many of the CIA operatives resigned soon after the Benghazi siege.  The station chief received some sort of recognition for valor but the film begs the question as to why.

The bottom line on this film is that it is an exciting and horrifying depiction of war at its worst.  Hugely outnumbered with zero support is about as bleak a situation as one can imagine.  The controversy about Benghazi is sure to escalate as elections approach.  The “video” and its role in inciting the violence and the whereabouts of Secretary Clinton and President Obama during the crisis are sure to be debated again.

I left the theater grateful for the heroes who tried valiantly to save the day but with little hope that this part of the world will ever rest.