Overview: Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant follows US Army Sergeant John Kinley (Gyllenhaal) and Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Salim). After an ambush, Ahmed goes to Herculean lengths to save Kinley’s life.

When Kinley learns that Ahmed and his family were not given safe passage to America as promised, he must repay his debt by returning to the war zone to retrieve them before the Taliban hunts them down.

DVD Verdict: In truth, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant is simply amazing, from start to finish. Every aspect of this film fires on all cylinders - the precise writing, the authentic acting, the enveloping cinematography, the smooth direction, the perfectly-paced editing, and the rousing score. It delivers more than just a last-minute Thursday night-out to the movies would usually deliver, or a lame-ass last-minute Saturday night Netflix monetary choice. Unexpected greatness.

Richie has made his mark the past several years in an extensive body of work when it comes to diverse storytelling. The Gentleman and Wrath of Man stand out as some of the most entertaining trips to the movies I’ve had in a while - the latter almost making the list with its hauntingly memorable score alone.

Yet, it’s with his second film released this year that he knocks down all previous notions of weariness or criticism. He has clearly gained experience and has worked to perfect his craft; it’s in this film that his skills shine brightest in brutality and heart.

This movie is a great story, and a true story, which already lifts it above two-thirds of everything else put to celluloid. The perfectly executed telling of the narrative is what sets it apart as one of the greatest. The care that was put into the entire film making process is visible on screen.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Dar Salim stand out for their stoic, riveting, and emotionally subtle performances that instantly hook us into their fight for survival. Then they elevate the film with a thrilling score that kept us at the edge of our seats, with every scene told in medium close up shots that engulf us into their harrowing journey to freedom.

Unexpectedly and pleasantly surprised is how we felt after watching this incredible movie and, indeed, how I still feel remembering and reliving the experience that The Covenant produced. We were hooked, not unlike John, to the determination and the commitment that these two men had for saving each other.

The filmmakers clearly pledged to tell this story with all their heart mental and might and thus what was finally created was a brutally realistic account of an unanticipated and unbreakable bond.

Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant from Metro-Goldwyn Mayer will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 20th, 2023.

Directed by prolific filmmaker Guy Ritchie (Wrath of Man, Aladdin) from a screenplay by Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies, the film is produced by Guy Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson, John Friedberg and Josh Berger.

Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant stars Jake Gyllenhaal (Ambulance, Spider-Man: Far from Home), Dar Salim (Game of Thrones), Antony Starr (The Boys), Alexander Ludwig (Bad Boys for Life, Vikings), Bobby Schofield (Cherry), Emily Beecham (Cruella) and Jonny Lee Miller (T2 Trainspotting).

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