The Siege of Jadotville

Netflix is on! The Siege of Jadotville is an enjoyable war movie about a bunch of Irish soldiers with no experience, no ammo, no support, no proper base in the middle of nowhere in Africa against multiple odds, who also don't play fair. From the 30 minute mark, nonstop warfare with the likeable Jamie Dornan in the lead role. A surprise on a modest budget. 85%. (10/14/2016)

I can’t understand who in Netflix decided that this film will have a low budget. The actors would have to play for free, and this film features way too big names for my taste. Jamie Dornan, Mark Strong, Mikael Persbrandt or Guillaume Canet? Plus, they threw all of them into the turmoil of war with absolutely great action shots. I really don’t understand how the creators shot it for those few bucks, but it’s nice that they presented a story like this. I haven’t heard about Jadotville until now, so at least I know now that the UN troops actually do something here and there. It does not always happen, and, in this case, it deserves more attention. And, of course, a lot of respect. Why? Find out for yourself, because a film like this deserves far more reviewers on this site than it currently has! (10/01/2017)

Not even the Irish could go without a proud final salute, for which I normally take away a star because it makes me sick to my stomach. I didn't this time. Richie Smyth, with a much lower budget, made a much better film than both Bay's Pearl Harbor and Ayer's Fury. Unlike those two, he skipped on the unnecessary romance and stupid scenes just for effect and made a raw war action film laced with unscrupulous politics. The worst thing about the fate of the Irish company is that I don’t think anything has changed since then, and a thing like that could easily happen today. (06/30/2018)

Honestly, I didn’t know anything about this incident until now, and I always enjoy learning about events that passed me by. This is one of the first Netflix films that, in my opinion, can be considered one of the most successful. The casting is truly top-notch, with Jamie Dornan excelling in the role of the Irish UN commander, and Mark Strong's presence was also a delight. The film is packed from start to finish with scenes full of explosions and nonstop shootouts. This makes me curious about the film’s budget, as most people who have seen it claim it was made for a mere pittance. If that’s true, then hats off to them (especially for the scenes with the fighter jet and the helicopter being shot down, as those were technically impressive). I was also genuinely surprised to learn that in 1961, it’s highly likely that a plane carrying the then-UN Secretary-General was shot down. The musical score was well done too. This is a film that probably won’t reach a wide audience, but for genre enthusiasts, it’s a must-watch. I’m giving it 82%. (11/30/2018)