When ISIS took their homes, families and city, one group of men fought to take it all back. Based on true events, this is the story of the Nineveh SWAT team, a renegade police unit who waged a guerrilla operation against ISIS in a desperate struggle to save their home city of Mosul.
I told you to aim higher!
Stop talking to your friends or I’ll blow your head off!
Go fight!
Go fight!
Don’t throw another fucking grenade!
We’re back here too!
Don’t throw another one!
Shut up!
Don’t be afraid. All is good.
The Boy! Worry about the Boy!
Ammo? Ammo?
No! Look for something sharp that could kill!
They’re out of ammo! They’re out of ammo!
Uncle?
Uncle?
Uncle?
Clear?
Clear?
Clear!
Secure the area.
Be careful.
SWAT.
Two Policemen inside.
God I hate guns.
You two okay?
What are uniformed Policemen doing on this side of the City?
Arresting these two, Sir.
We’re arresting people again?
Yes, Sir.
Progress.
Daesh is starting to break. Run.
Did they know that?
Arresting them for what?
Drugs, Sir.
Crossing over to our side, trading drugs for weapons, ammo.
With friends like ours who needs enemies?
How long have you been a Policeman?
Two months, Sir.
You can fight.
You’re the SWAT Team?
SWAT?
Yeah.
We thought you were all dead.
They’re dead…
I think they did too.
Still good?
All good.
The List.
Hurry.
We thought you were all dead, Sir.
Didn’t you already say that?
Only half the Unit died.
The half who remembered you should question suspects before stabbing them?
We’ve heard all their answers.
Then at least put bullets in their heads.
Bomb! Bomb!
White KIA turning left. Move! Move!
Clear?
Clear?
Clear!
Get up…
Move. Move.
What’s your full name?
Why, Sir?
If you’re on the list, you’re the enemy.
Sir, he has a common name.
There are ages next to the names.
How old is the list, Sir?
I don’t know.
Where did you get it?
We’ve always had it.
We’re Policemen. Like all of you.
Police?
He was police. And him. And him. And him.
And him. And-
I am Jameel Al Qurtubi.
Qurtubi.
Jameel Ziad Al Qurtubi.
Don’t be afraid, you’re not the enemy.
Sir-
Kawa Salah al-Faily.
Your ID?
I haven’t been a Policeman long enough to receive an ID.
How old are you?
21, Sir.
Have either of you been wounded?
No.
I mean not just today, but ever? Wounded by Daesh?
You’re the last two then.
Have either of you lost family to Daesh?
No, some were killed by the Americans, some left with them.
He was my Uncle.
Did you love him?
Of course I did.
Why aren’t you crying?
I don’t know.
Are you married?
Sir, I wouldn’t be here if I was.
What?
What do you mean?
Calm down, calm down.
He’s still a kid.
Let him be.
What did I say?
Kamal.
Him too?
No.
Why?
He hasn’t been wounded by Daesh or lost family to them.
And all of you have?
Most both.
I don’t really know who you are.
We’re the Men who killed the Men who killed your Uncle.
If you need to know more than that, you shouldn’t take the hat.
I don’t want to leave his body here.
We won’t leave him here.
Let’s go.
We’re taking Kurdish kids now?
What’s wrong with Kurds?
I’ll get your Uncle.
Let’s go guys. Fast.
Take this off?
You a medium?
Medium.
What do you think? We got a store?
Here’s a belt.
Are you left or right handed?
Left.
Get back to the other side.
Those weren’t the only guys we were trying to catch over here.
Get back to the other side.
Arresting people here and now is useless.
Every jail in Iraq is a broken urn.
Tell your superiors he’s with us.
My superiors think you’re dead.
Then they’ll be anxious to hear what you have to say. Go.
Move.
Here’s your weapon.
Kawa…
Are you sure?
Don’t waste it.
I’m going to wash his Uncle’s blood off his hands.
Waleed, Kamal…keep him between you.
Watch us and you’ll learn quick.
Sorry about what I said.
Where did you guys just come from?
Did you go to the Gifted Students School?
Yeah.
I was a few years ahead of you. You look familiar.
We were on mission, heard your service pistols, assumed it was police in trouble.
Thank you.
Thank Major Jasem. If it had been up to me we would have stayed on mission.
What is your mission?
It’s OUR mission now.
And if you fuck it up I’ll kill you.
Wait here and provide cover first.
Thank you.
What?
Thank you. You saved my life.
How long since your Dad died?
How do you know my Dad is dead?
I can tell you were raised well.
Raised by a mother.
Lift your weapon up and keep your eyes open.
And don’t thank me.
We need the numbers.
I smell a body…
It’s right here.
Clear!
Let’s take 10 minutes here to rest.
Check if there is electricity…
Shut up, Dick.
You wanna go?
Let’s secure the 2nd floor. The smell down here is killing me.
Let’s go guys.
Just 10 minutes. I promise.
You should eat something.
Okay?
And the 3rd Humvee won’t be back for a bit anyway.
As ordered, Sir.
Kawa?
Clear!
We call this a “Stack”. Two clear the room, two provide cover.
When ready, we touch the shoulder.
Never stand in front of a door. You’ll get killed.
Clear!
Clear!
Found one!
The Kuwaiti soap opera?
Why’s she starting a fight?
Because she’s pregnant and the other one isn’t.
Who’s the woman in between them?
I think the third wife – no, no, no – I mean the first wife.
First or third?
The first, the first, the one with the Mercedes.
Let us watch!
Let me answer his question!
How many does he need?
Kuwaitis, Bro.
Kawa, sit.
Whenever we have a chance to relax, take advantage.
Give it a second.
The third wife is really beautiful.
One is enough trouble, let alone three.
Hand me any trash…
Kamal, hand me the money.
What’s the mission?
You don’t need to know.
You don’t trust me?
Hell no.
Get some rest. And you have to eat.
What’s this?
Money.
Why?
Which would you go for?
Any is good.
Move.
That’s my partner!
I told you to move away from here.
Your partner is a son of a bitch traitor.
How do you know?
Let them all get out first?
Get down!
Everyone okay?
Everyone okay?
I didn’t do anything! I didn’t do anything!
What did I do? What did I do?
Get the fuck off me!
Get off me!
The kid didn’t do anything.
I said get off me!
Take these.
These should go to one of his friends.
I’m not a traitor.
I’m not a traitor.
Pick up your brother.
Move.
Careful of his head.
Careful with his leg.
Amen.
God rest his soul.
Where’s-
-he’s dead.
He’s new.
Huddle around.
Sir, the shortest route is to stay here on the shit side of the City…
…head north, get attacked 50 times before we make it a mile.
Or we can try to bribe our way to the safe side of the City through this checkpoint here.
Both sound lovely.
But let’s do the checkpoint.
It’s safer.
But not for you.
Yes for me too: court martial is still preferable to death.
I think.
Move. I’m the lead vehicle.
Kawa, you’re with us.
Bribe who?
Razak, quicker.
A bit quicker.
Hey infidels, the soldiers of the Islamic State are still everywhere.
We will remain and expand.
We will cut your heads off.
Your supporters are the Agents of the Cross.
Your women will be ours.
And your children, cubs of the caliphate. God willing.
Fuck you and your so called “state.” Son of a bitch.
We’re the ones coming for you.
Let’s pick up these children.
Stop the car. Stop the car.
Come with us.
We’re crossing over.
Come on dears, come with us.
Come with us.
We’re not strangers. Come with us.
We can’t leave. I promised my Dad.
Where is he?
Don’t worry. We can rebuild everything.
We just have to kill them all first.
No. I promised.
Should we?
You promised Dad too!
Mom was bleeding.
So you just lie to them? They didn’t teach you better?
They taught me to look out for my brother! What’d they teach you?
They taught me to keep my word.
Who will bury them if we don’t?
We can help you dig. Just come with us.
Sir please, we don’t have time.
They’re children. Wait!
Sir, can’t we just grab these little guys?
This is not a place to stop and talk.
I’m going with them!
I’m sorry I yelled at you.
If you go, we’ll each be alone.
Come with me. Come with me. Come with me.
Calm down Waleed.
Sir, please, we don’t have time.
Give me a second!
Come on dear.
You coming or not?
I promised my Dad.
We are the Federal Police.
I know.
You never saw us, or the two vehicles right behind. Got it?
Guys, take care of his body.
Why are we bribing Federal Police to cross back to our side of the City?
None of us knows anything about you pretty boy. Except that your partner was a fucking traitor.
You keep asking questions-
-like why are we bribing our own?
Yeah, and it won’t end well.
Shut up. Pray.
Peace be upon you.
And upon you.
I see you are a family man.
I have a small request.
I found this kid on the other side.
I’d like for you to take care of him.
He lost his mom…
I can’t.
Sorry.
He needs a family, you have a family. Please keep him.
Of course we will keep him with us.
God bless you sister.
Grow up to be good.
If you leave him with the Red Crescent, I’ll know.
My love, are you hurt?
Does it hurt you?
Come here, come.
SWAT?
You’re still alive?!
Command has been looking all over for you!
Are you okay?
Don’t worry about him.
Keep moving.
Don’t touch me!
Keep moving!
Don’t touch me!
Do you guys hear me?
Hey! What’s wrong with you?
You’ve heard the stories about us?
Yes.
They’re all true.
If you tell anybody you saw us…
…I’ll know it was you.
Got it?
Let’s move, boys.
Hey SWAT?
We see you driving round the City. What are you looking for?
You used to have 6 Humvees, now it’s 3.
Couple months ago you had 9.
You are the infidels and the apostates.
You have lovely homes with comfortable beds. Thanks for leaving them to us.
We are not picking up ammo?
Or food?
Why not?
Why when I ask a question no one answers?
What are you running from? Really. What are you running from?
WE.
What are WE running from.
Where’s the borek?
I ate it.
You finished it?
Yeah.
You should have shared with Razak or Waleed.
I got hungry.
You’ll eat me next.
I used to be a Homicide Detective.
I know.
I was studying to be a detective.
You taught my evidence class.
You were in one of my evidence classes?
I knew I made a big impression.
Sorry.
Feels like many lifetimes ago.
I used to love my work.
Teaching?
Being a Detective.
I was really good at it. Probably why I loved it so much.
I liked who I was.
You can go back to it, Sir.
I can never go back to it.
We’re the good guys.
What?
We’re the good guys.
Listen carefully, the checkpoint was the last time you put a hand on me.
If you stopped asking questions, I wouldn’t have shoved you.
I’m not a donkey to be pushed around or yelled at.
Explain things to me.
I don’t know where we’re going. I don’t know what our mission is.
I don’t know you. I don’t know any of you.
Why would I listen to you?
Understand?
Give me that.
His brother.
He’d force himself to watch this video.
Whenever he had second thoughts about what we were doing.
Who we were fighting, and why.
All the pictures he took were proof that he did his part.
Pictures he could show his family.
Most of them are cops or soldiers.
So that’s what you’re doing? You’re taking vengeance?
100 to 150 civilians headed this way…
Windows up.
We’re about to cross back into the shit.
Keep your eyes open guys.
Watch it.
Stop! Stop!
They’re shooting civilians!
Why are they shooting them?
Punishing them for leaving.
They want to keep them as human shields.
Where are they shooting from?
People are falling before we hear the shots!
I can’t see Sir.
To the left! To the left!
Take cover behind the vehicles!
One o’clock! One o’clock!
Go back! Go back! You’re in a minefield!
Akram, Youness.
Stay here and protect the people. Shoot at the rooftop to the right!
Don’t stop until I tell you to.
Razak move!
Fuck this!
Thaer my Son!
Fuck our luck!
Fuck our luck!
Wait until they reload.
Stop! Stop!
Razak, stay here and wait for the others.
Waleed, Kawa let’s go.
Now?
Clear.
Clear.
All clear guys.
Move down the street.
Stay on the side road, not the main one.
Razak is waiting. Move.
Son of a bitch.
Fuck you and everything you stood for.
Be careful Waleed.
Stay away from the wall.
This one’s better.
Do you see it from here?
Not yet, Sir.
To the left. To the left.
Where?
Blue satellite. About 2 kilometers…
We’re really close.
Drive the Humvees to the closest point, then continue on foot.
We need to cross through here, but this route is dangerous.
It’s easy for them to ambush us because of the narrow alleys.
When we were kids we’d throw rocks at the Americans, then use the alleys to escape.
They’re narrower than Humvees, so they couldn’t chase us.
Let him suffer.
What?
Leave him.
Amir.
Take up a sniper position.
On this side, got it?
Razak, Akram and Youness…
Yes, Sir?
Go to Waleed. He’s going to walk you through how we get there.
…there are tight alleys the Humvees can’t pass through.
We’ll have to be on foot. It’s going to be rough.
Get me the hammer from my bag.
What’s your name?
Amir. And you’re Kawa?
Yeah.
Good to meet you.
Good to meet you too.
Fuck!
Sir?
Please come look.
Sorry Sir, but please look.
What’s wrong?
Between the pink building and the parking lot on the left…
See it?
Do you think that’s one of their bases?
Yes.
We could try to call in artillery.
No I can’t.
Our people would deny the request…
…scrap our mission, and throw me in jail. You should know this.
I could call my buddy at the Joint Operations Center…
…give him this grid, see if the Americans could airstrike?
No.
I grew up with him.
I said no.
They flatten everything because they don’t have to rebuild anything.
Don’t talk about the Americans anymore. We’re past that.
If we attack what looks like an enemy base…
…we’ll have to assault it ourselves.
10 Men.
It’s your decision.
Sir, you’re our Commander, not me.
Why are you putting this on me?
Because I’m tired.
These are 10 Men. And I’m tired too.
I’m tired too, Sir.
In two hours I’ve lost two of my sons.
In two hours I’ve lost two of my brothers.
We all lost them, Sir.
Waleed!
Sir!
Waleed!
Don’t shout Sir!
Do we wipe that base out?
So we can stop worrying about what’s right behind us?
Or do we bypass it and try to stay unseen and unheard?
Sir, I beg you.
Waleed! You pick!
These are 10 Men.
Making them my…
I say we can go around it…
…we can stay unnoticed.
Anyone see it?
Spot it?
Call it if you see it.
No one fires.
We need every bullet.
Take cover!
That was C4 or PETN.
You okay?
Sir, one of our Humvees is gone!
DHL will deliver anywhere.
Barter?
For what?
7.62
Sorry. Shooting 5-5-6.
An Iranian Special Forces Colonel, in Iraq, using an American rifle, firing NATO ammo?
Crazy world.
Someone should sell tickets.
We still have some boxes of 7.62, just in case.
I believe in contingencies.
What do you need?
Cigarettes.
Those we have.
Nicotine and bullets bring the world together.
Meet me right in front of our building.
Okay.
Stay low and get down to the street. Fast.
Amir, Kawa, let’s go.
Leave him. Let him suffer.
Get your hands off me!
Calm down, calm down…
Just the one the Colonel was talking to.
Are you stupid?
Sir, Kamal and I can’t let you go alone.
Waleed, we have no choice.
Take care, I won’t be long.
Peace be upon you.
And upon you. Welcome.
What?
Have you never been this close to a Popular Mobilization Force?
I’ve been this close to many.
I’ve even fought alongside a few.
But I’ve always kept my distance from your particular group.
It’s a pleasure to meet you too.
I’m Colonel Isfahani.
What brings you to our part of the City?
I was born in this part of the City.
I’ll guess most of your Men were too.
The better question is why are you here? Such a long way from your family?
Logistical support.
Logistics.
Indeed.
How many cartons is that?
13 Cartons.
Did you guys hijack a truck?
Looks like maybe one carton for each of your men.
We’re not all equal.
Tea?
No thanks.
Please have some tea.
Let’s make it quick.
What are you doing? Keep your eyes on the street.
You let him go down there without his weapon?
Jasem’s a wolf.
Don’t worry about him.
Waleed was worried.
Waleed has his reasons.
Focus on your role.
3 cartons for each box-
-1 carton for 1 box.
Make it quick.
You’re SWAT…
…so I assume you were all police once?
We still are Police.
And you are from this City?
I told you: born and raised.
Okay. One box for one carton…
…you take a look at our prisoners to see if you can identify any?
Deal?
Deal. Let’s go.
Finally some cigs.
I don’t know him.
I don’t know him.
Kawa get down here right now!
Kawa! Get in here right now!
This is your partner, isn’t it?
That’s him.
I knew you wouldn’t still be in the cafe…
…I knew you wouldn’t.
Colonel, let me take him. He gave us away to Daesh.
So we don’t have a problem.
No.
I screamed…
They beat me!
Told me if I didn’t show them your position, they would find my family in America.
He’s ours.
Don’t hit him.
Don’t hit him like that again.
He’s ours.
No.
They took my phone.
They found my grandson in Michigan, on Facebook.
…there was no additional quid pro quo if you did actually identify a face.
I looked around for you, to try to see you-
-you didn’t. I saw you throw the flare and run.
If it were me I’d give him to you.
You’re not me.
That’s right: I’m an Iraqi in Iraq.
You’re Iraqis too – or have you forgotten?
And what a wonderful job of stewardship you’ve done here.
I’m not the enemy!
It’s always darkest before the dawn.
It’s always darkest before the dawn. I’m not the enemy!
The dawn of what?
The dawn of what? Check your list again!
I’m not the enemy! Check your list!
An Iraq without Sadaam, the West, Terrorists, or an Iranian Colonel.
Without us, you’ll curse yourselves with something or someone else.
You know why?
I’m sure you’ll tell me.
Because you’re not a real country. You haven’t been since Babylon.
You were created by a drunk British dilettante and a French bureaucrat with inaccurate maps.
And you by angry children who took hostages.
Fuck you all!
You’ll break into at least three pieces once we finish off Daesh.
That shouldn’t be hard now!
After the 3 years we’ve spent killing their toughest and best Fighters!
What part of those 3 years were spent running from them?
Iraqi Army rifle for sale, never been fired, only dropped once.
You got the wrong Unit, Colonel!
Fuck you all! I have killed more enemies than all of you!
All I’ve ever known is war!
So both of you can go fuck yourselves!
Iranian, Kuwaiti, American, Al Qaeda-
-shut up!
Shut up!
Shut up!
Is that a challenge?
I’m not the enemy! I’m not the en-
Okay…
…one box for one carton.
Chill…
Calm down.
Sinan, take two boxes.
This used to belong to our friend…
Trade this for your RPG?
What’s happening here?
A hookah for the RPG.
Fine. Just the one rocket though.
Why’d you do that?
We need more than bullets to wipe out that base.
I was wrong before. We can’t leave it behind us.
I told you, it’s your call. Move.
The reason we can’t go back for ammo, or call in artillery strikes…
…or sleep on mattresses on the safe side of the City…
…is because we’re disobeying orders.
Disobeying ‘new’ orders I should say.
A month ago, we were given a mission.
A mission we all wanted. A mission I planned.
Two weeks later, we were put under a new Army Command.
And that Command scrapped our mission…
…and tried to send us to a village miles from here. Miles from our fight.
So we stopped taking their calls.
And kept on with our old mission, which is to-
-I don’t need to know anymore.
Don’t want to know.
Tell me what I need to know when I need to know it and I’ll do it.
Whatever it is.
Razak, end of the line.
I don’t like this.
No!
RPG! RPG!
No! It’s not for this!
Get down!
We got them! Blew their heads off!
Kawa’s injured!
Youness!
Youness!
Be careful.
Clear!
Waleed, hold him.
Kawa.
Can you hear me?
I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean it.
They were firing at us. I had to throw the grenade.
I swear to God I didn’t see him. He ran in front.
I got something.
God rest your soul, Youness.
Enough. Enough.
Is his injury bad?
Ugly gash.
How many fingers?
Three.
Let’s go champ. Let’s go.
Let’s go guys. Get your weapons.
May God bless you, keep you safe.
Cigarettes? Cigarettes?
I just want a cigarette.
You okay?
It’s a small injury.
Everyone okay?
Razak?
Clear!
Razak is dead.
Pick up his ammo and let’s move.
Fuck you, you son of a bitch.
Guys, Sinan is bleeding.
We need to get going.
Kamal?
How’s Sinan?
He’s okay Jasem.
Make it quick.
It’s dangerous here.
We need to get going.
Sinan are you okay?
I’m okay.
Kamal, make it quick.
We’re close to their base. Work quickly.
We’re in the open Kamal.
Guys, he’s injured!
Let’s get moving guys.
Stop right here, Sir.
Their base is on the other side of these buildings.
We’re real close.
Waleed, come with me.
Everyone else hold here.
Look at these fools.
Loading up ammo and money out in the open.
Seems like they are running away.
Who cares if they’re running, Sir?
So we attack?
Yes, we attack.
Alright, this is how we’re going to do this…
It’s a dud! It’s a dud!
Dud! Dud! Move and I will cover you!
Waleed go down!
Breathe. Breathe.
Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid.
Kamal, move next to Sinan.
Akram?
He’s dead, Sir.
May he rest in peace. Get moving.
Listen, listen.
Kamal, go through the opening on the right.
Secure the area.
Kawa, Waleed you’re with me.
Clear?
Clear?
Clear!
Guys, everyone okay?
We got 90 seconds.
Stay alert. There might be more.
Reload, hydrate, then we finish.
Take some water for the team.
Is everyone okay, Sir?
Amir, you stay there and cover that side.
We got 90 seconds.
Kamal?
What?
Tramadol, can he use it?
Yes he can.
Sinan…
Everything about them is empty.
Sinan can you move?
Sir!
90 seconds is up.
We can come back for all our dead, but 90 seconds is up.
Do you even know where we’re going?
What we’ve been doing?
Who are you?
I’m one of you.
I know.
I know it has to add up to something more than all this.
Or none of you would still be doing this, fighting like this.
Suffering like this on the shit side of the City if it wasn’t for something bigger.
We must move.
He’s right.
There are six of us. We can finish the mission.
Or all die.
What are you saying?
Our plan is fucked!
Major Jasem was everything to us.
Our plan is fucked!
Let’s think of another way…
This is Major Jasem.
Our Father.
Without him this will turn to shit.
Waleed.
It has already turned to shit hundreds of times.
And yet we’re still here.
Three blocks away, Brother.
Three blocks.
Two blocks, Kamal.
The blue satellite…
Stay on me. We’re going up four flights. Don’t separate.
Any man you see in this building should die.
Only those with suppressors should shoot. Everybody else try to use blades.
Only fire if you need to.
Radios off.
Ready?
Waleed.
We’re being seen. How do you want to do this?
Waleed.
Take a breath and calm down.
Ready?
One.
Two.
Waleed.
Let Amir do it.
No Kamal. I’ll do it.
Ready?
Hayat it’s me!
Dunia, it’s your Dad.
Hayat…
Waleed?
Waleed!
Where have you been?
Daddy?
I thought you were dead.
I’m here with you.
Where were you?
Do you know how long you’ve been away?
Let me check your injury.
I missed you so much.
Does it add up to more?
Are we doing this for everybody on the team?
For those whose families weren’t murdered when the City fell.
I’m pregnant.
It’s my fault.
I couldn’t come back for you.
God knows I tried.
I tried.
I swear to God I couldn’t get back to you.
Why?
Jasem.
This was all Major Jasem.
Because the youngest have more time to have more children.
More children brings back our City faster.
Amir’s wife died.
But his little boy is still alive.
As of last week. We got information on him.
Did Major Jasem have a family?
Yes he did.
Daesh knew who we were because we had arrested so many of them before.
They were all common criminals before there ever was a Daesh to join.
A man Jasem put in prison became one of their Commanders.
He found the Major’s family…
Pack your things.
Why are you putting that on?
You’re not going to come with us?
Don’t be afraid.
I’m with you.
We don’t have much time.
We don’t have much time my love.
Do you know how much I love you?
How far from here is your Son?
Reviews
The New York Times, November 26, 2020
‘Mosul’ Review: In Iraq, This Time It’s Personal
A rogue Iraqi SWAT team fights the Islamic State in Matthew Michael Carnahan’s action thriller.
by Ben Kenigsberg
Mosul dramatizes a 2017 story in The New Yorker that chronicled a self-directed Iraqi SWAT team’s efforts to fight the Islamic State. Counting both Condé Nast and the Avengers: Endgame directors Anthony and Joe Russo among its producers, this Netflix movie balances admirable ambition (it’s an American film, but the characters speak Arabic) with the cruder goosing strategies and red-meat dialogue of a revenge picture.
The film, the directing debut of the screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan (Peter Berg’s The Kingdom), begins mid-shootout. Kawa (Adam Bessa), a newly minted Iraqi police officer, is nearby when his uncle is killed by Islamic State fighters. The Nineveh SWAT team, headed by Major Jasem (Suhail Dabbach), shows up and kills them, then, after a tense interrogation, extends Kawa an offer to join. The team only takes men who have been wounded by the Islamic State or lost family to them, and Kawa now qualifies.
Mosul follows the group as it navigates violence-torn Mosul on a mysterious mission. (It involves more than simply driving the Islamic State out of the city, though no one is quick to tell Kawa the specifics.) Along the way, the men enjoy a brief respite watching a Kuwaiti soap opera; find safety for one of two young boys whose parents were killed; and engage in an uneasy barter with a Shiite militia force, trading cigarettes for bullets.
Instant death lurks around every corner, and the movie doesn’t shy from killing off major characters. But it does play like an odd match of form and content: a story of single-minded humanitarianism framed as a relentless action spectacular.
