A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
a little
The theme is in the title: The characters do what they do because of a pact; one owes the other. It can be assumed that friendship was part of the deal as well. On the downside, the movie paints a dispiriting view of war, or this war in particular: so many lives lost, and it may all have been for nothing.
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Positive Role Models
some
Both Ahmed and Kinley are mostly admirable. Each goes above and beyond to save the other's life, including taking extraordinary risks and heading right into danger. And they demonstrate stamina and courage against impossible odds, even if they're also prone to rage, violence, and other iffy behavior.
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Diverse Representations
very little
On one hand, Afghani Taliban figures are depicted as pure evil, faceless and relentless, like monsters in a video game that just keep coming. On the other, Ahmed (Dar Salim, who was born in Iraq and raised in Denmark) is a wonderfully rounded character: very smart, endlessly resourceful. That said, you get the sense that Gyllenhaal's character, a White man, is actually the main character here. Some characters of color in small roles/the background, including an Asian British actor, an actor of Cuban descent, etc. Female characters are underdeveloped.
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Relentless violence, with lots of guns and shooting. Buildings and vehicles explode. Many characters are killed. Gory corpses seen. Bloody wounds, bloody injuries. Oozing blood. Blood spurts. Stabbing. Punching. Choking. Characters hit in face with butt of rifle. The Taliban set entire villages on fire.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
In some scenes, there's jokey, good-natured, pretend "flirting" between soldiers.
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Language
a lot
Several uses of "f--k," "motherf----r," "bulls--t," "s--t," "bastard," "ass," "pain in the ass," and "goddamn." One character's nickname is "ji*zzy."
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Products & Purchases
a little
Toyota trucks are frequently shown, with both logo and name brand on view.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Main character appears very drunk in one scene, drinking glasses of whiskey, and rages at someone on the phone. A scene takes place in an opium den, with opium users lying on couches. Opium is used as a painkiller for an American. A secondary character is said to be a drug dealer. Characters briefly drink cans of beer. Cigarette smoking.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Guy Ritchie's The Covenant is a war drama set in Afghanistan in 2018. It follows an Afghani interpreter (Dar Salim) who saves an American Army sergeant (Jake Gyllenhaal). The sergeant must then return to Afghanistan to save the interpreter, who has made the Taliban's "Most Wanted" list. Violence is relentless, with many, many deaths, plus lots of guns, explosions, blood, fighting, etc. Language includes uses of "f--k," "motherf----r," "bulls--t," "s--t," "bastard," "ass," "goddamn," and more. A scene takes place in an opium den, and opium is used to treat a wounded soldier's pain. A secondary character is said to be a drug dealer, and there's brief beer drinking and cigarette smoking. Soldiers sometimes jokingly "flirt" with one another. The movie is simplistic but expertly made and involving. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In GUY RITCHIE'S THE COVENANT, U.S. Army Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) is stationed in Afghanistan, leading a squad tasked with tracking down Taliban weapons. They're aided by local interpreters, who are hired with the caveat that they'll eventually get visas to the United States. After the death of his most recent interpreter, Kinley recruits Ahmed (Dar Salim), whose knowledge almost immediately helps them avoid an ambush. Striking the jackpot and finding a major Taliban supply warehouse, the team attacks but is quickly outnumbered. Most of Kinley's unit is killed, and Kinley and Ahmed find themselves stranded behind enemy lines, with the entire Taliban after them. When Kinley is seriously wounded during a shoot-out, Ahmed uses all of his skill and wits to transport him, largely on foot, back to their U.S. base while avoiding capture. Kinley is discharged and returns home but later learns that Ahmed is still on the run, with his wife and young child in tow. Unable to find help through the proper channels, Kinley realizes what he must do: return to Afghanistan and save his friend.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Guy Ritchie's The Covenant's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Do you think the men rescued each other out of a sense of duty? Friendship? Or the "covenant" of the title? Something else? Why?
What does the movie have to say about the war in Afghanistan overall? What's the takeaway?
How does the movie's portrayal of Ahmed differ from its portrayal of the Taliban forces?
How are drinking, drug use, and smoking portrayed? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
