It’s no secret that war films have become incredibly popular as a genre, with Saving Private Ryan and Dunkirk often regarded as some of the best in the category. But Amazon Prime viewers have discovered another film they believe is one of the top three best war movies of all time. Released in 2019, The Outpost, tells the story of how assailants from the Taliban seized an American base known as Combat Outpost Keating during The Battle of Kamdesh in 2009.
Based on the 2012 non-fiction book, The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor, by Jake Tapper, the film showcases a harrowing depiction of the tragic battle as the US army soldiers eventually find themselves outnumbered and outgunned in a nail-biting fight for survival. The Outpost pays respect to the heroes whose lives were lost during the battle, which was one of the bloodiest engagements of the Afghanistan War.
The synopsis reads: “A small unit of US soldiers is stationed at a remote army base in the mountains of Afghanistan. However, a sudden coordinated attack by Taliban fighters compels them to fight for their survival.”
The ensemble cast is led by Scott Eastwood, who stars as Clint Romesha. Romesha is now a retired soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the 2009 war.
He is supported by Orlando Bloom as Captain Benjamin D. Keating alongside Caleb Landry Jones, Taylor John Smith and Milo Gibson.
The Outpost has a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has been regarded as one of the best in the genre. Expressing their admiration for the film on social media, one fan wrote: “Finally watched The Outpost. Superb film. Very rare for a film to have me laughing AND crying.”
A second posted: “With the many threads discussing the best war movies of all time, no one ever mentions The Outpost. It’s a gut-wrenching and important film. I’d even say it’s a top three, along with 13 Hours and All Quiet on the Western Front.”
A third agreed: “Outstanding! Really enjoyed the film. Up there with the best of the genre for me.”
Echoing this, another viewer said: “The Outpost is really good. For a film with a budget of only $5 million, the war sequences are outstanding.”
A fourth added: “Watched the movie ‘The Outpost’. Even though I’d read the book it hit me like a ton of bricks. Outstanding, remarkable film that I wish I hadn’t inflicted on myself when I have stuff to do and work tomorrow. Schedule some recovery time.”