The hidden gem has garnered glowing praise from all quarters.
Black Hawk Down and The Hurt Locker are widely regarded as the finest modern warfare films ever made, yet now an almost entirely unknown movie is emerging as a serious rival to both.
Currently streaming on Netflix, viewers are hailing this hidden gem as the 'best war film since Black Hawk Down and The Hurt Locker' - and that's an extraordinarily lofty accolade.
The 2019 Arabic-language war film, Mosul, is being celebrated as a 'masterpiece' by audiences who simply cannot get over how 'astoundingly real' the movie feels.
Written and directed by Matthew Michael Carnahan, the film is rooted in the true events of the Battle of Mosul in 2016, which saw Iraqi government forces and coalition allies ultimately defeat ISIS and reclaim the city from the Islamic State, who had held control since June 2014.
Mosul made its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in 2019 before landing on Netflix in November 2020. The film features Suhail Dabbach in the lead role - who has received widespread acclaim for his portrayal - alongside Is'haq Elias, Hayat Kamille, Thaer Al-Shayei, Adam Bessa, Ahmad Elghanem, and Waleed Elgadi, reports Wales Online.
It's being called one of the best modern war films of all time.
Mosul drew its inspiration from Luke Mogelson's article published in The New Yorker in January 2017, entitled 'The Desperate Battle to Destroy ISIS'.
The 'riveting' war film was shot in Marrakesh, Morocco, and its official synopsis reads: 'After being rescued by an Iraqi SWAT team from an assault by insurgents, a policeman joins the team and is thrown into a world of secrecy and ceaseless, fierce fighting.'
Critics have been overwhelmingly effusive in their praise for the war drama, with one writing: 'Mosul is a well-made action film with an important message and a lot of heart, a combination seen all too rarely these days.'
Another reviewer lavished praise on both the director and cast: 'Matthew Michael Carnahan makes a stellar directorial debut with Mosul, a hard-hitting, must-see movie which sees star Suhail Dabbach deliver an Oscar-worthy performance which it would be a crime to overlook.'
A third critic said: 'Mosul isn't the kind of easy, sentimental TV viewing often provided during the holidays, but it is a potent reminder of the deadly struggles and sacrifices some people have endured to earn their freedom.'
Audiences have been left utterly blown away by the film's quality, with one viewer declaring: 'The BEST war movie since Black hawk down! Amazing! Authentic and a true story!'
Another audience review on IMDB mirrored that sentiment and comparison: 'The best movie about urban warfare, post Black Hawk Down. Set in the city of Mosul, this is a superb thriller that pits a squad of Syrian SWAT soldiers against Daesh or ISIS, in the last days of Islamic State. The action is non-stop and is punctuated with solid story telling. It is a hidden gem on Netflix and would be loved by all action / thriller / war movie buffs out there. Highly recommended.'
One audience review said: 'Better than most big budget films. Bottom line the movie has depth to it that is more than its great acting it's a must watch! I would say this is on par with lone survivor, American sniper, and the outpost. It is very original. This is true cinematography, it tells an amazing story.'
Another fan added: 'One of the best war action thrillers in last few years. Mosul is one of the more memorable war movies i saw in last few years. Its brutal, bloody, very realistic and intense action war thriller. Not to be missed.'
While one admirer drew comparisons to another war classic: 'Wow. Wow. Wow. I cannot say enough good things about this movie. What a powerful movie. The fight scenes are better than in Saving Private Ryan.'
Another viewer was struck by the film's authenticity: 'A movie so engaging that it's hard to believe there's a film crew there with lights and cameras. Astoundingly real.'
One audience member simply said: 'Absolutely riveting film. There are few films I'd say were 'must-see'; this is one of them.'
Mosul is available to stream on Netflix.
