Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant 2023

In the midst of the unforgiving War in Afghanistan, U.S. Army Special Forces Master Sergeant John Kinley (played by) and his unit are suddenly confronted with the harsh reality of war when a devastating truck bomb attack orchestrated by the Taliban rips through their routine vehicle inspection at Lashkargah, claiming the life of his trusted interpreter. The sudden loss leaves Kinley in dire need of a replacement, and it is amidst this turmoil that he meets Ahmed Abdullah, an enigmatic yet stalwart interpreter who appears to be motivated solely by financial gain. However, as Kinley and his team embark on an undercover capture mission, they begin to unravel the complex web of Ahmed’s past, revealing a shocking history of affiliation with the Taliban through the opium trade. Yet, it is during this very same operation that Ahmed demonstrates unwavering bravery, saving Kinley’s team from certain doom when a rogue Afghan National Army soldier joins forces with a Taliban unit.

As their bond grows stronger, Kinley and Ahmed find themselves in the midst of another intense raid, this time searching for a potential insurgent arms cache approximately 100 kilometers north of Bagram Air Base. However, the mission quickly devolves into chaos as they are ambushed by Taliban reinforcements, leaving everyone but Kinley and Ahmed dead or wounded. The duo musters their last ounce of strength to escape on foot, taking down several Taliban fighters in the process. Yet, their journey is far from over, as they soon find themselves facing yet another ambush, this time at the hands of insurgents who manage to wound Kinley before brutally incapacitating him with a rifle butt. Ahmed, undeterred by the perilous circumstances, resolves to rescue Kinley and navigate them back to the airbase, relying on their wits and cunning to evade the Taliban’s relentless pursuit.

In the days that follow, Ahmed’s heroics continue to unfold as he single-handedly takes down the Taliban fighters blocking their path, eventually carrying Kinley over the country’s treacherous mountain terrain. Weeks later, Kinley finds himself back in his home in Santa Clarita, California, with no recollection of how he was saved. Yet, as he learns that Ahmed and his family were forced to go underground due to their daring escapade having become local folklore, Kinley becomes increasingly consumed by a sense of emotional debt towards the interpreter. His frustration grows as he struggles to procure U.S. visas for Ahmed’s family, ultimately exhausting all avenues in a bid to repay his gratitude.

As Kinley’s sleepless nights and emotional turmoil reach a boiling point, he finally decides to take matters into his own hands, enlisting the help of his superior, Lieutenant Colonel Vokes, to secure the necessary visas for Ahmed. In doing so, Kinley takes the first steps towards honoring the debt he owes to the steadfast interpreter who risked everything to save his life.

As Kinley (character) re-emerges under the guise of Ron Kay, he is introduced to Parker, a cunning private military contractor who offers his assistance on one condition: that Kinley locate Ahmed first. The former operative sets out to track down Ahmed’s brother Ali, a key Taliban supplier who successfully smuggles Kinley across treacherous territory. In this perilous journey, Kinley finds himself in the midst of a high-stakes standoff at a road checkpoint, narrowly avoiding detection by taking out two insurgents. This brazen display of combat prowess inadvertently alerts the Taliban to Kinley’s presence. Vokes updates Kinley that the visas have been processed and are now in Parker’s possession.

Finally, Kinley arrives at Ahmed’s hidden sanctuary, where he employs his persuasive skills to convince the fugitive and his family to join him on a journey to the United States. Meanwhile, Parker uncovers Kinley’s true identity and realizes that the duo is now a valuable asset to the Taliban. In response, he orchestrates a formidable air support system comprising an AC-130 gunship and an Apache attack helicopter to safeguard their retreat. As the Taliban launches a surprise assault on Kinley’s position, he manages to escape with Ahmed’s family to the relative safety of the Darunta Dam.

Cornered by an advancing Taliban force, the duo engages in a protracted firefight that ultimately exhausts their ammunition supply. However, just as all hope seems lost, the AC-130 and Apache helicopter arrive on the scene, decimating the attackers. Parker then appears at the dam’s opposite end with a relief column of anti-Taliban technicals. He reveals to Kinley that he would have supported his mission without expecting compensation had he known upfront that it was him. With their situation stabilized, Kinley and his companions are escorted back to Bagram Airfield, where they board an Airbus A400M bound for the United States.

The film’s poignant epilogue reveals a devastating truth: in the aftermath of the Taliban’s recapture of Afghanistan, over 300 Afghan interpreters affiliated with the U.S. military were brutally murdered by the organization, leaving thousands more still in hiding, forever changed by their experiences.