Now, I know the sudden inundation of war films across the site may be a bit heavy, but with Kajaki – despite the fact that it is set in the midst of the war in Afghanistan and certainly revolves around the horrors known only by those who have experienced it – you have a different beast entirely from most of the others. With little to no out and out violence, the film deftly tells the tragic true story of a small detachment of soldiers as they unknowingly stumble into an unmarked 1980s Soviet minefield, championing the emotional turmoil, courage and camaraderie of the men involved over glamorised combat scenes and other cliches of the genre.
After one of their fellow-squad mates accidentally sets off an old soviet landmine while on patrol, the servicemen of the 3rd battalion of the British Parachute regiment find themselves on a desperate rescue mission which leads right into the heart of a fully-fledged unmarked minefield. As the band of brothers intrepidly traverse the minefield to help their fallen comrade, their incredible bravery and unfettered valour come to fore in a touching tribute to those affected by the incident, packing enough emotional punch to really hit home the raw, visceral horror of war and the extraordinary strength many muster to overcome it.
Kajaki – Saturday 10:00pm on BBC2.
