It’s 2007 and the war in Iraq is coming to an end, but Issac (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Matthews (John Cena) have a few jobs left to do, including surveying a site littered with dead bodies. When they come upon an expert sniper known to U.S. troops as Juba (voiced by Laith Nakli), a deadly game of psychological warfare is engaged between Issac and Juba.
Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow, Bourne Identity) knows how to stage an action sequence, but here he dials up the tension over a crisp running time of 81 minutes. Those minutes are packed with loads of suspense as Johnson’s Issac is stuck behind a crumbling wall with Juba’s scope bearing down on him. Liman takes basic ingredients, adds a few pinches of spice, and creates a thriller that is unique and unpredictable.
Who will break first? Issac or Juba? Can the American soldier, who is wounded, survive long enough without essentials like water and food? Without extending the time, Liman is able to stretch out the minutes of this duel to supreme cinematic effect while injecting realism into the battle. Continue reading “Doug Liman’s ‘The Wall’ is a thriller that is both unique and unpredictable”
