Yahoo Lifestyle ‘Valiant One’ Review: No-Nonsense Action-Thriller About U.S. Soldiers Trapped in North Korea Gets the Job Done
An unpretentious B-movie made with A-grade effort, “Valiant One” packs decent action and mostly sturdy drama into the tale of U.S. soldiers whose mission near the DMZ goes haywire and leaves them stranded in North Korea. The first film directed by longtime producer and production executive Steve Barnett (“300”) doesn’t add anything to the “trapped behind enemy lines” playbook but does offer a pacy combination of well-executed combat scenes and reluctant-hero drama that should play especially well with military movie buffs. Boasting solid central performances by Chase Stokes (“Outer Banks” series) and Lana Condor (“To All the Boys” films), “Valiant One” opens in limited U.S. cinemas on Jan. 31.
“Valiant One” is the kind of mid-size action movie we’ve seen much less of in commercial theatrical release since these straight-to-streaming days began. Though lacking the scale of a big-budget spectacular — it’s no “Black Hawk Down” — the film has good production values and could perform well on the strength of popular lead performers and its full-strength salute to those who serve. Politicians, bureaucrats and geo-political analysis are nowhere to be seen in a screenplay that’s pro-military without getting too jingoistic. The focus is squarely on rank-and-file soldiers finding the courage and ingenuity to prevail when all hope seems lost.
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Clocking in at a trim 87 minutes, “Valiant One” doesn’t have the time or inclination to explore its characters too deeply but deals efficiently with the basics. Stationed at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 60 miles south of the DMZ, Sgt. Edward Brockman (Stokes) is a non-combat tech officer who eyes a future in Silicon Valley rather than a life in uniform. A gig economy-era soldier, if you like, and a far cry from the Navy SEALS whose real-life crash landing in the DMZ gave Barnett the inspiration for this story. Still, Brockman’s no slacker and presents properly when ordered on a mission escorting annoying, wise-cracking civilian defense contractor Josh Weaver (Desmin Borges) on the maintenance of surveillance installations close to the North Korean border.
Things go from routine to catastrophic when the team’s helicopter gets blown off course in a freak storm and crash-lands in the DPRK. Observing time-honored war movie tradition, the mission’s mortally wounded commanding officer, Lebold (Callan Mulvey), gives Brockman inspirational words and entrusts him with a service pistol that’s been passed down through generations of his family of soldiers and will naturally play a significant practical and emotional role later in proceedings.
The screenplay by Barnett and Eric Tipton sticks closely to such conventions as the inexperienced and ill-equipped Brockman — “I’m just trained to analyze data,” he says — is suddenly thrust into command and must figure out how to get survivors including civilian Weaver, Korean American Cpl. Lee (Daniel Jun), Cpl. Ross (Jonathan Whitesell) and Cpl. Selby (Condor) to safety.
What’s refreshing is the significant role played by Selby, a Vietnamese-born medic whose tactical nous and compassion come to the fore when the group is forced to take shelter at the farmhouse of a frightened couple (Michael Cha, Jerina Son) and their young teenage daughter Binna (Diana Tsoy). Condor, whose personal background aligns closely with that of her character, is spot-on as the dedicated professional whose straight-talking ways help Brockman unlock his inner hero.
Though Binna’s ability to mentally recover and help Brockman’s squad escape after witnessing her parents being shot dead by a North Korean army patrol is too good to be true, the story motors along nicely with skirmishes and shoot-outs en route to an exciting climax in a tunnel beneath the DMZ (actually mine tunnels in Vancouver, where the film was shot).
The territory is familiar but the execution helps “Valiant One” rise just a touch above the ordinary. The convincing and committed performances of Stokes, Condor and the rest of the ensemble is matched by solid action choreography and fluid widescreen photography by Daniel Stilling. Punchy tracks by rappers including Jelly Roll and Marqus Clae are neatly inserted alongside the fine orchestral score by Benjamin Backus. A fabulous old wood-fired truck used as a getaway vehicle is the jewel in the film’s armory of hi-tech U.S. weaponry and antiquated North Korean machinery.
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