Escape from Mogadishu – A Well-Constructed Political Action Thriller

Escape from Mogadishu takes place in the capital city of Somalia, when it was torn by civil war in 1991, and the personnel and the families of the South Korean embassy were trapped with no means of communication. Going outside meant facing a hail of bullets and shells. In such a situation one night, personnel from the North Korean embassy approached them for help. With the common goal of escaping from Mogadishu, the people from both embassies made a bold attempt to reach the airport in chaotic conditions.

This film does a good job setting the stage by setting up the feeling of unrest within the city. Our protagonists are struggling to find a taxi as viewers get the feel of a business meeting gone awry as our protagonists stagger from one place to another. And little details like one of the characters suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure make the scenario more relatable than most modern high-octane action thrillers. There is a palpable feel for these characters’ lives, and a fraught tension as they have to get to each location to deliver their message. We also get a good sense of the location, as they are stuck in sweltering summer and the stress escalates as the movie goes on and fires burn. The tension between different governments is palpable.

Taking place in a real-life event also gives viewers a chance to question the mindsets that led to such political chaos. The depiction of the events may not be the most accurate, but there is a decent analysis of separate factions of a country being turned against each other and how that would come to be. Understanding worldwide political relations is arguably more important than ever, and a film like this represents that urgency well. Escape from Mogadishu shows the power and turmoil of protests and the changes they can make. Compared with the decidedly more stylized takes on the Chicago riots in The Trial of the Chicago 7, this film’s take on the Mogadishu riots are absolutely brutal; these are the moments in the movie with the least amount of gloss, and the most effective realization of these events.

Like any good action film, the main selling point of Escape from Mogadishu is obviously the action scenes. They are brutal, well-paced, and incredibly well-filmed. One can clearly see everything going on. Perhaps the highlights are the car chases, in which blood spatters, glass cracks, and our characters are struggling to avoid getting shot in the car. This sort of film takes inspiration from other recent travelogue action films but it builds upon that and stands out effectively from the others in its own way. The aftermath of gunfire is really felt in particular.

In the end, Escape from Mogadishu is a strong modern example of how vital well-constructed political action thrillers can be, drawing on political historical context for stakes and keeping the tone lively as you are sucked into the exhilarating action. A lot of action films these days could take a few notes.

still courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment

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Gabe Guarin

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