War films do not always need to be spectacular in scale and dramatisation. It is sometimes possible to generate intense action and suspense with a minimalist set-up.
In The Wall, which is set during the Iraq War in 2007, a crumbling stone wall in a desolate desert becomes the backdrop for a riveting duel between two American soldiers and a notorious Iraqi sniper who has led them into a trap. While Sergeant Matthews (John Cena) lies wounded in open ground, Lieutenant Isaac (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) must wage psychological wargames from behind the wall, engaging the “dirty hadji” or brilliant sniper who we never get to see but who does have radio contact.
What follows is a primarily verbal and mental battle, though the atmosphere is forbidding and the tension claustrophobic because most of the shots are close-ups of the characters. The final catharsis may appear rather far-fetched but director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) completely captivates you with this very visceral thriller about survival and merciless taunting, about atonement and revenge.
> The Wall. US, dir.: Doug Liman, act.: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, John Cena, Laith Nakli
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