Ostensibly a war movie but the political intrigue and dark dealings of politicians add to the tale. The tension builds from the start but the politicians building their careers on the back of the beleaguered soldiers is the hidden tale. The end is real shocker, did they really get away with it and keep this story hidden for so long?

Movie was okay but I can't help but think the action was largely over dramatized considering not a single man was lost. However that is not the reason I am rating it so low. Call me a stick up the ass but I like attention to detail and realism and honestly this siege made me cringe over and over again. Tactics on the part of the Frenchman were horrendous. There was a nearby hill that was never tactically used and meanwhile they just kept running in with numbers from the same side every time. (and I thought he was supposed to be a brilliant contractor or something) They also never used their artillery, easily could have spent the whole time just landing bombs on them until they surrender which is probably what really happened. Also, every time I had to watch the sniper reload a bullet in the chamber he made me cringe. (if you don't know why then don't worry about it.)Lastly there were a few other funky scenes like that that stood out to me but one I remember in particular is when the enemy forces came with a mounted heavy machine gun at one point there was a guy holding it by its barrel as they were shooting. I still have scars from when I grabbed a hot barrel as a child.

Hi from Russia!The movie is good, but it is far from real story (as many movies).I researched 1960th Congo war a bit after watching this movie and found some interesting facts (sorry for poor English): Many attackers (africans) were archers or had pump rifles (but most white instructors were professionals). UN contingent was placed near Jadotville to protect white population of Jadotville but (surprise) white population was against UN contingent. Heave weapon haven't been used by gendarmes against UN troops - the target was to capture UN Irish, not to kill them all. This is most important fact explaining number of casualties on both sides (and gendarmes are not as good as army troops).Fighting scenes in the movie looks like a massacre of the innocents, I personally have nothing against the Irish, the are good guys and fighters but this movie doesn't show them as on real war, at 100% of their capabilities, it is more like being on training with live targets, shooting untrained cannon fodder armed by pistol caliber machine guns in open field by heavy machine guns and rifles. Yes, UN guys had some stress and 5 wounded but it is not a battle with equal enemy. And it was not 24/7 battle, UN personnel could visit church, make photos, sleep at night, not drinking water with diesel (it is not a whiskey, but when you want to drink, some diesel in the water is not a problem), etc.If someone is interested to find more about real story of UN in Congo war, they should check story of UN 99th Indian brigade in Katanga, who bore the brunt of the fighting in Katanga, together with Ethiopians. I hope one day someone will make movie about them (may be Bollywood?).

I'll give this film a 6.5 / 10. It nearly was a good film, let down by rather stupid stereotypes and plot holes.. After I looked at the account on wikipedia of the actual event / people I found this film even more irritating. What I liked: The actors for the Irish soldiers all come across well. You do get the idea of close knit small unit facing their baptism of fire. Battle scenes were quite exciting. What I didn't like. The usual (of late) Hollywood bad writing /character stereo types/ assuming the audience is stupid. The portrayal of the intrigues and schenanigans of the UN, Charles De Gaule, big company mining operations, mercenaries and African politics was just mind numbingly bad. 2d cardboard cartoon caricatures and scheming worthy of Wiley Coyote. I suspect if they edited the lot out it would be a better film.Pork pie beret's everywhere. The guy who played the chief mercenary had no charisma at all. But I grudgingly did enjoy the film despite myself. Watch once but never again.