Is 12 Strong a Real Story? Ending Explained, and More
by Abinaya
Updated Apr 28, 2023
12 Strong Movie
"12 Strong" is a 2018 military drama film directed by Nicolai Fuglsig that is based on the book "Horse Soldiers" by Doug Stanton. The film relates the narrative of the first Special Forces squad sent to Afghanistan after 9/11 to take on the Taliban and its al-Qaida supporters. The squad, led by Captain Mitch Nelson, collaborates with Afghan warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostum and his soldiers to take the Taliban-controlled city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
The cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Pea, Trevante Rhodes, and William Fichtner, among others. Audiences and reviewers alike praised it for its strong action scenes, acting, and historical accuracy.
Is 12 Strong a Real Story?
Yes, the movie "12 Strong" is based on a real story. The film is based on the true events of the 9/11 attacks, although most of the characters in the movie are not real and were instead inspired by actual individuals. Chris Hemsworth's character, U.S. Army Captain Mitch Nelson, is not a real person but is based on Mark Nutsch, who led the Green Beret unit known as "the horse soldiers."
Hemsworth met with Nutsch to prepare for his role. According to Army Special Operations Command spokesman Lt. Col. Robert Bockholt, every helicopter depicted in the movie is an actual 160th helicopter. Rob Riggle, a former U.S. Marine, played the role of the unit's commanding officer, Colonel Max Bowers, who served in Afghanistan during the same period.
Michael Shannon portrayed Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bob Pennington, a real-life figure. Col. John F. Mulholland Jr. was played by William Fichtner, while Elsa Pataky portrayed Amy Nutsch and Navid Negahban played General Abdul Rashid Dostum.
How Accurate is 12 Strong?
The representation stays pretty close to the facts. It depends on author Doug Stanton's book 12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers, however, almost all of the characters in the film are technically fictional, albeit inspired by real people. Chris Hemsworth, who plays US Army Captain Mitch Nelson in the film, is not a real person but was inspired by Mark Nutsch.
Nutsch headed the Green Beret team that became known as the Horse Warriors, and despite the fact that Hemsworth isn't officially portraying him in the film, the Thor star met with the real-life soldier to prepare for his role in 12 Strong. The film "12 Strong" aimed to portray a lesser-known story of how U.S. Special Forces soldiers teamed up with an Afghani warlord and his soldiers to fight the Taliban post-9/11.
To dispel negative stereotypes, the filmmakers made a deliberate effort to cast Afghani actors as extras and show that not all Afghani people are terrorists.The movie highlights the importance of a diplomatic approach that involves working with locals to fight a common enemy, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. The film's star, Chris Hemsworth, said that the movie has been appreciated by some people in Afghanistan for telling a story that shows that they are not all terrorists.
12 Strong Plot
On September 11, 2001, Mitch Nelson, a U.S. Army captain with Green Berets Operational Detachment Alpha 595, moves into a new home with his wife and daughter after receiving an assignment to staff duty under Lieutenant Colonel Bowers. Nelson commits to leading 595 into Afghanistan as word of the disastrous terrorist attacks that day breaks.
Bowers originally refused, but veteran soldier CW5 Hal Spencer, who was set to retire, persuaded Bowers to relinquish command of 595 to Nelson while also volunteering for the deployment. On October 7, 2001, 595 people left their homes in Uzbekistan. Nelson and 595 are chosen to fight alongside Northern Alliance leader Abdul Rashid Dostum after being briefed and evaluated by Col. Mulholland, Commander of the 5th Special Forces Group.
"12 Strong" is a movie about the first US Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11. Led by Captain Mitch Nelson, the team joins forces with warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum to fight the Taliban in the northern part of the country. Despite initial mistrust, Nelson and Dostum work together to capture key cities and push towards Mazar-i-Sharif.
However, tensions arise when Nelson informs Dostum about the arrival of another US team working with his political rival, causing Dostum's men to abandon ODA 595. Following Dostum's departure, Nelson intends to continue fighting the Taliban alongside his Americans and the few Afghan fighters that remain with them. When confronted with a huge force of Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants and armored vehicles, ODA 595, rejoined by Diller and his element, employs air support to remove many of the fighters and the majority of the armor but is identified and attacked.
When Dostum comes with his soldiers, Spencer is gravely injured by a suicide bomber, and the team is about to be overrun under intense Taliban and Al-Qaeda pressure. The American and Northern Alliance soldiers disperse the Taliban and al-Qaeda in the first cavalry charge of the twenty-first century, and Dostum tracks down and kills Razzan.
In the movie's climax, Spencer is medevaced, and Nelson and Dostum continue towards Mazar-i-Sharif but find out that their rival, Atta Muhammad, has already taken control. Dostum leaves the differences with Muhammad to be settled the next day. Impressed by Nelson and the Americans' efforts, Dostum gives Nelson his prized riding crop and tells him that he will always consider Nelson a brother and fellow fighter while reminding him that Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires.
Ultimately, Spencer survives, and all 12 soldiers of ODA 595 return home after 23 days of almost continuous fighting in Afghanistan. The film ends with a photo of the Horse Soldier Statue at the World Trade Centre, based on the soldiers of ODA 595 and their victory in the early stages of the response to the September 11 attacks, dedicated to all United States Special Forces. It then shows a photo of the actual members of ODA 595 in combat fatigues, upon whom 12 Strong was based.
12 Strong Ending Explained
The ending of "12 Strong" shows the successful mission of ODA 595, with all 12 soldiers returning home after 23 days of almost continuous fighting in Afghanistan. The film's final moments include two important images. The first image is that of the Horse Soldier Statue at the World Trade Centre in New York City. The statue is based on the soldiers of ODA 595 and their victory in the early stages of the response to the September 11 attacks.
The statue is dedicated to all United States Special Forces and serves as a symbol of their bravery and sacrifice. The second image is that of the actual members of ODA 595, in combat fatigues, upon whom the film was based. This serves as a reminder that the events depicted in the film were based on a true story and that the soldiers who fought in the war in Afghanistan were real people who risked their lives for their country. Overall, the ending of "12 Strong" celebrates the bravery and resilience of the American soldiers who fought in the war in Afghanistan and pays tribute to their sacrifices.
12 Strong Movie Review
We will see the reviews the movie "12 Strong" has received, which has many good reviews. Let’s check all of them. "One of the best films I've seen in recent years that portrays the Afghan war in its true colours." Other than Black Hawk Down, no other film comes close to depicting camaraderie, devotion, and true heroism. The relationship between the child and the troops is beautifully depicted.
"It's the narrative of a soldier taking his 12 men and attempting to accomplish the mission against all obstacles while maintaining his commitment to return them home safely and alive." "War cinematography is in a class of its own!" Fantastic work by Danish filmmaker Nic Fuglsig and producer Jerry Bruckheimer: "Watch this film!"
"12 Strong" is an American action war drama film that illustrates the narrative of a small unit of United States Army Special Forces directed to Afghanistan shortly following the September 11, 2001 attacks. I hadn't seen a war movie in a long time, so when I saw one of my friend's reviews, I decided to watch it, and despite the typically negative reviews, I really liked it."
Is 12 Strong a Real Story - FAQs
"12 Strong" was directed by Nicolai Fuglsig, a Danish director who has previously worked on commercial campaigns and music videos.
The film is based on the nonfiction book "Horse Soldiers" by Doug Stanton, which relates the narrative of the first Special Forces team dispatched to Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks.
On January 19, 2018, "12 Strong" was released in the United States.
"12 Strong" apparently had a budget of roughly $35 million.
"12 Strong" grossed more than $71 million worldwide, making it a middling success for the picture.