The Siege of Jadotville

I caught "The Siege of Jadotville" on a recommendation, and it's one of those war movies that feels a bit off the beaten path. The story covers a lesser-known episode from the Congo Crisis in 1961, centering around a group of Irish UN peacekeepers who find themselves vastly outnumbered and under siege. What caught my attention right away is that it isn’t your typical, explosive “hero’s journey” war film—there’s a real sense of ordinary men thrown into extraordinary circumstances.

Jamie Dornan surprised me as the quiet but resolute Commandant Pat Quinlan. He brings a calm, understated charisma to his role that carries the movie, even when some of the other performances are a bit flat. The film does a good job conveying the camaraderie among the men, and you genuinely feel the tension and fear as the odds stack up against them. The slower pace at the start pays off when the action finally kicks in—every bullet feels consequential.

Cinematography-wise, the movie punches above its weight. The African landscape serves as a fierce, beautiful backdrop, and the siege scenes are shot with a gritty, unglamorous realism. The washed-out color palette fits the period and mood perfectly. You really sense the heat, exhaustion, and claustrophobia, especially as supplies dwindle and hope fades.

If the film struggles anywhere, it’s in fleshing out the political complexities of the conflict. It touches on UN bureaucracy and the murky motivations behind the mission, but some of that gets sidelined for more immediate action. Secondary characters could have used a bit more depth as well; at times they blur together beyond a few memorable faces and one-liners.

You would enjoy this if you like intelligent, tense war stories that focus more on endurance and leadership under pressure than on gory spectacle or big-budget effects. It’s a rewarding watch for those interested in historical conflicts that don’t always make the history books or for folks who appreciate a more grounded, character-driven approach to the genre.