Step back into the brutal shadows of Jack Carr’s SEAL universe with this hard-hitting prequel that thrives on grit, guilt, and gunfire. Taylor Kitsch delivers a ferocious, tightly wound performance as Ben Edwards—a battle-worn Navy SEAL cast out after a catastrophic mission and quietly absorbed into the CIA’s darkest corners. Stripped of rank but not rage, Ben is unleashed into a globe-trotting maze of deniable ops, from the sun-scorched outskirts of Tehran to the cold, echoing alleys of Zurich, chasing nuclear whispers while being hunted by the ghosts of brothers he couldn’t save.
Chris Pratt’s James Reece appears like a shadow at the edge of the frame—more presence than plot—embodying the unspoken code that binds these men long after the shooting stops. But this is Kitsch’s show. His Ben Edwards is coiled with regret, his stare heavy with moral erosion as every mission pulls him deeper into ethical quicksand.
Co-creators Jack Carr and David DiGilio lean hard into authenticity: bone-rattling explosions, razor-edged firefights, and geopolitics that feel jagged and uncomfortable. The supporting cast adds real weight—Tom Hopper brings steel-hearted loyalty, while Robert Wisdom’s handler radiates quiet menace. Even the soundtrack knows exactly what it’s doing; dropping AC/DC into a firefight shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does.
It’s not flawless. The “deep state” cynicism can feel heavy-handed, and Ben’s trajectory sometimes feels inevitable. Still, the savage action, grounded performances, and relentless brotherhood make this a gripping, binge-ready thriller.
Dark, explosive, and unapologetically masculine. Prime Video may have just locked in its next action franchise—essential viewing if you like your thrillers loud, lethal, and emotionally bruised.
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