"Kandahar" drops viewers into the heat of the Middle East as CIA operative Tom Harris (Gerard Butler) is first seen sabotaging an Iranian nuclear facility. Roman (Travis Fimmel), wants Tom to take on a second, more dangerous mission, and pairs him with Mohammed (Navid Negahban), a translator. However, Tom's cover is blown when Luna (Nina Toussaint-White), a journalist, reports the story. Suddenly, Luna's life is in danger, and Kahil (Ali Fazal) who works for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, wants revenge.
Director Ric Roman Waugh takes a slow-burn approach with this efficient thriller, saving most of its kinetic action scenes for the second half — after all the chess pieces are in place. As Tom is determined to make it home and keep Mohammed safe as well, they must travel from Herat to Kandahar while Kahil and others are in hot pursuit.
