12 Strong

12 Strong

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2018 (2018)
Key people	Nicolai Fuglsig (director), Ted Tally (screenplay), Peter Craig (screenplay), Jerry Bruckheimer (producer)
Products	12 Strong (film)
Parent	Warner Bros. Pictures (distributor)

12 Strong—also titled 12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers'—is a 2018 American action-war movie directed by Nicolai Fuglsig with a screenplay by Ted Tally and Peter Craig. Adapted from Doug Stanton's factual account Horse Soldiers, the film portrays the mission of the U.S. Army Special Forces deployed to Afghanistan in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, culminating in the capture of Mazar-i-Sharif. The cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, Navid Negahban, among others.

Filming commenced in January 2017 in New Mexico. Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures across the United States, including IMAX venues, it premiered on January 19, 2018. With a production budget set at $35 million, the movie earned $71.1 million globally. Reviews highlighted strong performances and compelling action scenes but criticized its predictable narrative and limited exploration of the Afghan conflict.

Plot

On September 11, 2001, Mitch Nelson, a captain in the U.S. Army's Green Berets Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 595, is settling into a new residence after receiving a staff duty posting. In response to the terrorist attacks, Nelson volunteers to lead ODA 595 into Afghanistan. Although initially declined by Lieutenant Colonel Bowers, experienced Warrant Officer CW5 Hal Spencer convinces Bowers to assign Nelson command and also volunteers for deployment. On October 7, 2001, ODA 595 is sent to Uzbekistan where COL Mulholland, commanding officer of the 5th Special Forces Group, briefs them before their assignment to assist Northern Alliance leader Abdul Rashid Dostum.

ODA 595 is secretly inserted into Afghanistan on October 19, 2001, aboard CH-47 Chinook helicopters operated by the 160th SOAR. They land near Mazar-i-Sharif, a Taliban-controlled city, and establish contact with Dostum. Half the unit, led by Nelson, accompanies Dostum into mountainous terrain while the other half remains stationed at a fortified position known as "the Alamo" under Spencer’s leadership. Dostum’s objective is to seize Mazar-i-Sharif while confronting Taliban commander Mullah Razzan. Although initially doubtful of Nelson’s capabilities, Dostum gradually develops respect for him. Following a costly misstep by Dostum’s forces that causes friction, relations are restored as they continue their joint efforts. A three-man team led by SFC Sam Diller targets a Taliban supply line; combined with Spencer's group and utilizing American air support, they achieve multiple tactical successes.

When Nelson reveals that another ODA (555) is backing rival Northern Alliance leader Atta Muhammad Nur, Dostum’s fighters abandon ODA 595 in anger. Undeterred, Nelson opts to press on with remaining Afghan allies. Confronted by a large enemy force comprising Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters equipped with armored vehicles, ODA 595 leverages air strikes effectively but endures intense assaults. Spencer sustains critical injuries from a suicide bomber just as Dostum arrives with reinforcements. In what becomes the first U.S. Army cavalry charge of the new century, their combined forces scatter the opposition and Dostum personally kills Razzan.

Following Spencer’s medical evacuation, Nelson and Dostum advance toward Mazar-i-Sharif only to find Atta Muhammad already present. Despite political tensions between their factions, Dostum defers conflict with Muhammad. Acknowledging Nelson and his team's accomplishments, Dostum presents Nelson with his cherished riding crop and refers to him as a brother-in-arms while cautioning that Afghanistan remains an empire's graveyard. Spencer survives his wounds, and all twelve members of ODA 595 return home after enduring twenty-three days of intense combat operations in Afghanistan.

Cast

• Chris Hemsworth portrays Captain Mitch Nelson, leader of ODA 595 and U.S. Army Special Forces Officer, a character inspired by Mark Nutsch.
• Michael Shannon appears as Chief Warrant Officer Hal Spencer, the assistant team leader and Chief Warrant Officer 5 of ODA 595, based on Bob Pennington.
• Michael Peña plays Sergeant First Class Sam Diller, serving as the Intelligence Sergeant First Class for ODA 595.
• Navid Negahban takes on the role of General A. R. Dostum, head of the Northern Alliance and later Vice President of Afghanistan.
• Trevante Rhodes acts as Sergeant First Class Ben Milo, the Special Forces Weapons Sergeant within ODA 595.
• William Fichtner features as Colonel John F. Mulholland, commanding officer of the 5th Special Forces Group.
• Geoff Stults is cast as Sean Coffers, a member of ODA 595.
• Thad Luckinbill plays Vern Michaels, part of ODA 595.
• Ben O'Toole appears as Scott Black, another member of ODA 595.
• Kenny Sheard portrays Sergeant First Class Bill Bennett from ODA 595.
• Austin Stowell takes the role of Staff Sergeant Fred Falls in ODA 595.
• Austin Hébert is cast as Master Sergeant Pat Essex, part of ODA 595.
• Jack Kesy acts as Charles Jones, a member of ODA 595.
• Kenneth Miller appears as Kevin Jackson within ODA 595.
• Numan Acar plays Mullah Razzan.
• Elsa Pataky portrays Jean Nelson, Mitch's spouse.
• Marie Wagenman plays Maddie Nelson, daughter of Mitch Nelson.
• Rob Riggle features as Lieutenant Colonel Max Bowers, commander of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group.
• Taylor Sheridan acts as Brian, a CIA Special Activities Division paramilitary field officer who encounters ODA 595 when SOAR transports them to Afghanistan.
• Fahim Fazli is cast as Khaled, a commander within Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance.
• Laith Nakli portrays Commander Ahmed Lal.
• Ali Olomi appears as an Afghan man.
• Hasan Hoseini also plays an Afghan man.

Development

On December 2, 2011, producer Jerry Bruckheimer assumed control over the script initially written by Ted Tally and later revised by Peter Craig, with Nicolai Fuglsig attached to direct. The film is adapted from Doug Stanton's nonfiction book Horse Soldiers, which was acquired by Walt Disney Pictures in 2009 specifically for Bruckheimer. By March 29, 2016, Deadline Hollywood reported that Fuglsig would make his feature directorial debut on this project. The production was co-financed and produced by Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill, and Thad Luckinbill through Black Label Media alongside Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

Casting

On September 30, 2016, Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon were announced as leads, followed shortly by Michael Peña’s casting on November 1. Trevante Rhodes joined the cast on November 3. Austin Stowell was added on November 14 to portray Staff Sergeant Fred Falls from the U.S. Special Forces team. Lionsgate took charge of distribution. On November 15, Austin Hébert was cast in the role of SFC Pat Essex while Ben O'Toole joined for a yet-to-be-disclosed character. Navid Negahban was confirmed on November 17 to play General Abdul Rashid Dostum. Elsa Pataky’s involvement was revealed in December 2016. Subsequently, on February 3, 2017, Rob Riggle signed on to portray Army Lieutenant Colonel Max Bowers, who had previously commanded him during his Marine Corps service.

Filming

The primary filming phase commenced in January 2017 across various New Mexico locations, beginning with mine sites near Orogrande, New Mexico. Production then moved to Socorro, where shooting wrapped up after eight days on January 26. Further scenes were captured in Alamogordo, making use of the scenic White Sands National Monument and the Los Lunas Volcano. Scenes depicting a military camp utilized 20 buildings rented from AKS Military, a company specializing in private military shelters.

Postscript

The film concludes with a postscript highlighting: "Despite overwhelming challenges, every member of the U.S. Army Special Forces ODA 595 successfully completed their mission. The seizure of Mazar-i-Sharif by the Horse Soldiers and allied forces stands as one of the most remarkable accomplishments in U.S. military history. While military strategists anticipated a two-year timeline, Task Force Dagger achieved this feat within three weeks. Al Qaeda regards this as their gravest defeat. Due to the mission’s classified status, these soldiers returned home without public recognition. In 2014, General Dostum was appointed Vice President of Afghanistan. Dostum and Mitch Nelson continue to maintain a close friendship. In 2012, a Horse Soldier statue was unveiled at the World Trade Center site to commemorate their bravery."

Home media

12 Strong became available digitally on April 10 through Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, followed by Blu-ray Disc and DVD releases on May 1. The Blu-ray edition features additional content including the behind-the-scenes featurettes "12 Strong: The Making of an Impossible Mission" and "Monumental Effort: Building America's Response Monument."

Box office

The film earned $45.8 million domestically across the U.S. and Canada, alongside $25.3 million internationally, culminating in a global box office total of $71.1 million against a $35 million production cost.

Released on January 19, 2018, 12 Strong opened concurrently with films such as Den of Thieves and Forever My Girl. Industry forecasts estimated an opening weekend revenue between $15 million and $20 million from 3,002 theaters. The film debuted with $15.8 million, securing second place behind Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, mirroring the initial performance of 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. ComScore data indicated that 55% of viewers were male and 79% were aged over 25. Its second weekend experienced a 45% decline to $8.6 million, ranking sixth at the box office.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, 12 Strong holds an approval rating based on reviews, with an average score reflecting mixed sentiments. The critical consensus acknowledges its strong cast, commendable intentions, and an engaging true story—sometimes sufficient to offset its occasional lack of depth or subtlety. On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 54 out of 100 from 43 critics, signifying "mixed or average" feedback. Audience polling by CinemaScore awarded it an average grade of "A," while PostTrak reported an overall positive rating of 81% with 63% indicating they would definitely recommend it.

Richard Roeper from the Chicago Sun-Times gave the movie 2.5 out of 4 stars, commenting that its runtime exceeding two hours includes roughly 20 minutes filled with redundant or unnecessary scenes, resulting in a nearly effective portrayal of notable American soldiers. Meanwhile, Owen Gleiberman of Variety described it as watchable yet somewhat blunt and lacking character development, noting its slow pace over more than two hours. He commended the director and cinematographer for their skillful use of New Mexico’s landscapes to convincingly represent Afghanistan—the film’s most striking visual accomplishment.

Accolades

Award	Ceremony Date	Category	Nominee(s)	Outcome	Reference(s)
People's Choice Awards	November 11, 2018	Drama Movie of 2018	12 Strong	Template:Nom
		Drama Movie Star of 2018	Chris Hemsworth	Template:Nom
Visual Effects Society Awards	February 5, 2019	Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature	Roger Nall, Robert Weaver, Mike Meinardus	Template:Nom

Related links

• 5th Special Forces Group
• America's Response Monument