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The Wall
2017 90 min United States of America R 12+
★6.3
War, Thriller, Drama, Action
Director: Doug Liman
Trailers
Description
An American sniper and his spotter engage in a deadly cat-and-mouse game with an Iraqi sniper.
Budget:
$3M
US Gross:
$1.8M
Worldwide:
$4.5M
Starring
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Actor
John Cena
Actor
Laith Nakli
Actor
Awards
1 nomination total
Key opinion
The Wall is a minimalist, suspenseful thriller that centers on a high-stakes standoff between an American soldier and an elusive sniper. While critics praise Doug Liman's restrained direction and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s committed performance, the film remains polarizing due to its thin narrative development and a controversial, divisive ending.
| Acting | Aaron Taylor-Johnson provides a strong and convincing anchor that holds the film together despite the limited scope. | |
| Direction | Doug Liman utilizes the single-location premise effectively to create a tense, suspenseful, and professional-grade thriller. | |
| Cinematography | Cinematography by Roman Vasyanov successfully captures the isolation and physical toll of the desert setting. | |
| Ending | The ending is highly divisive, with some viewers finding it a compelling, ambiguous subversion of tropes and others dismissing it as a jarring or disappointing departure from the film's established tone. | |
| Screenplay | While the minimalist dialogue and focus on psychological tension are lauded by some for creating an atmosphere of intellectual inquiry, others criticize the screenplay for failing to develop the characters’ motivations or explore the war’s themes with necessary depth. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing satisfies those who appreciate a slow-burn, deliberate survival drama, but leaves those expecting traditional action-heavy conflict feeling that the story is repetitive or sagging. |