Mosul

Review by Spencer Rieser
Review by David Hamilton

The short: 

After Daesh invades Mosul, a rogue Iraqi SWAT team saves a young police officer, offering him to join them on their quest to liberate the city from the extremists.

The long: 

During the occupation of Mosul between 2014 and 2017, the Nineveh SWAT unit was the only group to continuously stand its ground against ISIL insurgents in the city. While the filmmaker is American, all of the actors are native Arabs, and deliver nerve-wracking performances throughout. Mosul is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. While the movie has been criticized by some for being a bit over sensationalized, it has successfully attracted levels of Western viewership that most Arabic-speaking shows have not. That alone is a great achievement and helps to humanize places like Iraq, which are often unfairly reduced to their plight.  

After arresting three Daesh drug smugglers, three police officers are ambushed by the extremist group. Kawa, a Kurd who recently became a police officer, witnesses the death of his uncle during the ensuing firefight. As all hope seems lost, the Nineveh SWAT Team, a rogue police unit made up of Mosul natives who lost family members to Daesh, rescues the two remaining police officers. After realizing Kawa lost his uncle in the battle, they extend him an offer to join their ranks. Kawa accepts and undergoes a perilous journey, fighting to both gain the trust of the other group members and to liberate Mosul.

To watch or not to watch:

If you are looking for nonstop action, definitely watch! The film will leave you with immense respect for the men who put their lives on the line and never gave up the fight to liberate their city. Find Mosul on Netflix. 

Watch! The film is based on a true story featured in a 2017 New Yorker Article. It is captivating depiction of the fight to retake Mosul and provides an insight into the politics taking place on the ground as numerous competing groups worked to retake the city, including the Iraqi military, the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the rogue SWAT team.