There are two things you should know about me: I have an unhealthy love for Mark Wahlberg, and I get really, really emotionally invested in action films. Like jumping out of my seat, sweating, crying, screaming, cringing behind blankets, I’m going to rip whoever-I’m-sitting-next-to’s arm off kind of invested. 

“Lone Survivor” is based off a true story about a group of Navy SEALs sent to kill a prominent Taliban leader in 2005. Marcus, played by Wahlberg, is the leader of a four-man team on the expedition. They’re dropped off in the mountains and left to do the job, and then signal the command center when it’s safe to be picked up or if they need backup.

GPS and telephone signal is hard to come by in the Afghan mountains, so when the group encounters three civilians walking through the woods with their goats, they can’t get in touch with the base. Marcus makes the decision to let the men go — it’s an old man and two young boys, as he can’t justify killing them. 

The incident jeopardizes the team’s mission, and they’re attacked by the Taliban soldiers, completely outnumbered and left stranded. It’s the soldiers’ passion and brotherly love for one another that is heart wrenching. They’re shot at time and time again, yet still keep moving and fighting back. By the end, I was emotionally drained.

Contact Kelsey Husnick at [email protected].