Kajaki

Set in an Observation Post in Afghanistan this is an uber-low budget film that’s been streaming on Netflix since 15th October.

I keep a pretty good weather eye on new cinema releases and I have to admit this had slipped completely below my radar so it must have had a pretty low key release.

The film, a true story, starts with a very mundane, totally believable introduction to a squad of British soldiers from 3 Para at an observation post in the arse-end of nowhere in Afghanistan. Then a patrol is sent out to the Kajaki Dam of the title and all hell breaks loose when they step into a minefield of unknown origin – could be Afghani, could be Russian – who knows. Talk about the futility of war…

From that point on it’s absolutely unbearably watching-through-fingers tense whilst retaining a fine line in gallows-humour. So tense indeed that at points I found myself involuntarily shouting at the TV for the medics to be careful.
Tremendously believable and nail-bitingly portrayed its a brilliant portrayal of the bravery of each and every man involved.

Not for the faint-heated but if you can bear the grand-guinol abattoir-like levels of gore then it’s absolutely essential viewing.

An unmissable tour-de-force

Outstanding – highly recommended.