13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

This is Michael Bay’s best film yet. Is it the great film this true story deserves? No, it isn’t. It is, however, a strong, competent effort from a guy whose action films are usually incomprehensible and schmaltzy. So, I think my “I Hate Bay” club membership card is going to be revoked … for now. Why is it his best film? Because the cast totally rocks from start to finish, and Bay actually tells a story, and a harrowing one, keeping over-baked action film trickery to somewhat of a minimum. There’s real, palpable tension in this movie, something I’ve never felt during a Bay movie before. On the anniversary of 9/11 in 2012, a CIA security force in Benghazi, Libya, must try to protect a U.S. Ambassador during a terrorist attack on U.S. compounds. Because of the nature of these compounds, the security force finds itself dealing with a bunch of red tape prohibiting them from flying into action and, much worse, possibly preventing them from receiving assistance from the U.S. military. Bay does a decent job of showing us the confusing hell these men must’ve gone through. In the end, Bay delivers the goods in a fine action film.