"Guy Ritchie's The Covenant" is an action movie and a survival movie.
There's real danger and suspense in the first half, which may remind viewers of Mark Wahlberg in "Lone Survivor." Having hired new Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Dar Salim), Army Sgt. John (Jake Gyllenhaal) has just begun to let him into his circle when the Taliban ambush them. Stranded in the middle of nowhere with no vehicle, they must try to get to safety while deep in enemy territory.
Under the direction of co-writer Guy Ritchie, these scenes are tense and understated. The men don't know if they can trust people they encounter — they're not even sure they trust each other — but each has to rely on the other as the perils of their several-day journey pile up.
