Welcome back to Movie Recap. Today I'm gonna show you a 2019 war action film called,
Mosul. Spoilers ahead. Watch out and take care.
The movie begins during the battle of Mosul,
wherein the ISIS and Iraqis are fighting. ISIS is known as ‘Daesh,’ considering them as part
of the world, and continues running after years of occupation during which they raped, tortured,
and murdered on a medieval scale. Since Iraq is the second-largest city where wars often occur,
the Nineveh SWAT Team is the only unit that attempts to fight against Daesh
without rest or retreat. Nineveh is an elite police unit made up of men from the city.
Because of their impressive actions and strategic plans, the Nineveh SWAT has killed
many Daesh fighters, yet they still don’t receive ‘towba,’ an offer they’d get from the Daesh.
Technically, towba is a chance for capturing Iraqi security forces to repent and switch sides.
However, SWAT Team also has a downfall because some of its members are summarily executed.
Because of that, the SWAT Team’s now conducting their final mission,
attempting to finish it even before the Daesh vanishes forever.
Later, three Mosuli policemen hide inside the café building as they arrest ISIS drug smugglers,
trying to hold the suspects while defending themselves against ISIS outside.
However, ISIS suddenly overruns the Mosul police officers after seeing them stopping to shoot.
While avoiding the gunshots, one of the police officers aggressively holds the head of an ISIS
smuggler, ordering him to stop talking to his friends or else he’ll blow his head off.
As the three Mosuli policemen almost get killed, Kawa, a 21-year-old Kurd who’s recently enlisted
as a police officer, immediately takes action to throw back the grenade that ISIS threw toward
them. However, the remaining two Mosul police officers suddenly run out of ammo, so they hide
on the table instead. Unfortunately, Kawa’s uncle dies during the gunfight inside the café building.
Meanwhile, the Nineveh SWAT Team suddenly finds that there are stranded police officers
inside the café building, so they decide to save them despite their ongoing mission.
Aside from rescuing Kawa and the other officer, Jameel, the SWAT also executes the drug smugglers.
On the other hand, Major Jasem walks inside and asks Kawa what they are doing on the city’s side,
so Kawa answers, saying that they’re arresting the drug smugglers in the café building.
Afterward, Kawa explains that the Daesh is starting to break and run again when suddenly
Jameel intervenes, saying that the Daesh are crossing over to their side to trade drugs for
weapons and ammo. However, Jasem seems fascinated by Kawa’s courageousness to fight against
the Daesh. So, Jasem offers Kawa to join them because he’s eligible to become part of the SWAT,
reasoning out that a person like him who lost his uncle to ISIS can be a member of Nineveh.
Technically, the Nineveh SWAT Team is a made-up team of native men of Mosul who lost their
family members, too. And the team is led by none other than Jasem, the Commander Major.
Though Kawa refuses to join at first, Jameel assures Kawa that he’ll get his uncle’s corpse for
burial. So, Kawa immediately follows the SWAT Team member to change his uniform into the Ninveh SWAT
uniform. On the other hand, Jasem warns Jameel not to arrest people in that place anymore because it
would be useless, so he better get back to the other side immediately before he gets killed
by ISIS. Jasem then orders Jameel to inform his superiors that Kawa’s with them, ignoring
what Jameel says about them being dead already. Afterward, the SWAT Team continues their mission
as Jasem orders Waleed and Kamal to keep Kawa between them. So, Waleed approaches Kawa, telling
him to watch them so that he’ll learn quickly. However, Kawa eventually asks Waleed about their
mission objective, but Waleed chooses to ignore Kawa’s question by offering him a cigarette.
Afterward, they go inside an abandoned building when suddenly Jasem calls Kawa to stop coming
with them inside and wait outside while he’s covering them. Eventually, Jasem and Kawa
share a conversation while patrolling outside. Afterward, they successfully enter the abandoned
building, and Jasem orders his men to rest for a while first as they’ll secure the second floor
afterward. Before continuing their mission, Jasem commands Waleed to eat something while they’re
away because the 3rd Humvee won’t be back for a bit. Luckily, the SWAT Team finds a safe room
to relax, so they all decide to enter together and watch the soap opera on the television. Once
again, Kawa gets ignored by a SWAT member after asking him about the purpose of their mission.
Then, on the other hand, Jasem gives Waleed some money to get some rest and something to eat.
However, Kawa and Jasem notice Kawa’s previous partner, Jameel, returning
with his vehicle and signaling to an ISIS car bomber about their location. Because of that,
Jasem immediately shouts, ordering his men to get down as the car bomb explodes.
Unfortunately, Tomahawk, one of the SWAT members, suddenly dies from the bomb blast. Frustrated,
Jasem almost attacks Kawa, blaming him for killing his soldier instead of Jameel. Afterward, Jasem
heatedly gives Tomahawk’s ax to Kawa, but Kawa refuses to accept it. But when Jasem intensely
looks at Kawa’s eyes, he immediately tells Jasem that he’s not a traitor and accepts Tomahawk’s ax.
Jasem then orders his men to carry their brother’s body and put it on their Humvee, planning to get
Tomahawk’s proper burial of his corpse. Afterward, the Nineveh SWAT team prays for Tomahawk’s soul.
A while later, Kamal shares his strategic plan about getting the shortest route, which is to
stay on the side of the city, head north, then get attacked fifty times before they even make
it a mile. Kamal then gives them another option, which is trying to bribe their way to the safe
side of the city through a checkpoint. So, Jasem decides and chooses to do the checkpoint despite
telling Kamal that both of his plans are good. Afterward, Jasem tells Kawa to come with them as
he’ll be the lead vehicle. However, Jasem suddenly receives news from the enemy on the radio, talking
about the soldiers of ISIS who’re still spreading out everywhere, so they must remain and expand
even before they cut the SWAT Team’s heads off. Worried about the innocent people getting killed,
Jasem immediately stops the vehicle as he attempts to save the children walking on the street.
However, his men tell Jasen to move already, but Jasem still waits for the child to go with them.
Fortunately, the child comes with them, leaving his older brother behind.
While upon the checkpoint, Jasem orders his men to stop the vehicle,
move out Tomahawk’s corpse outside, and give them a proper burial with the dead people in the tent.
However, while Kawa’s helping to carry Tomahawk’s body, Hooka accuses Kawa of being a traitor’s
partner. On the other hand, Jasem talks with a family man, favoring him to care for the child
because he has already lost his parents. Though the man refuses to accept Jasem’s offer of money,
his sister immediately takes it and tells Jasem that they will take the child.
Eventually, Kawa gets frustrated as no one dares to answer his questions, so Hooka finally reveals
their objective. However, the SWAT Team and the surrounding civilians come under fire from ISIS
shooters while crossing into the ISIS-held part of Mosul. Little do they know, the ISIS shooters
are shooting from a rooftop, not because of the leaving civilians but because of the SWAT Team.
Trying to save the citizens, Jasem suddenly sees the sniper from the rooftop,
so he orders Hooka to shoot at one o’clock when suddenly the sniper gets him killed first.
Afterward, Jasem calls Waleed and Kawa to help him clear the rooftop by killing the two snipers.
Fortunately, they successfully clear out the road and plan their next course of action. Afterward,
Jasem orders Waleed to drive the Humvees to the closest point, then continue on foot.
Meanwhile, the remaining SWAT Team members join Jasem, Waleed, and Kawa on the rooftop. Afterward,
Jasem orders Amir to take up a sniper position, while Razak, Akram, and Youness will go with
Waleed to walk them through how they get on the road. Suddenly, Waleed calls Jasem,
telling him that one of the ISIS bases is between the pink building and the parking lot on the left.
However, they eventually see an explosive-laden drone in the sky while planning their following
action. Little do they know; the drone targets one of the ISIS men’s Humvees, but it accidentally
hits their Humvees. Technically, the SWAT Team witnesses how the drone explodes. Afterward,
Jasem sees another explosive-laden drone shot down by an Iranian special Forces Operative Colonel,
Isfahani. Isfahani is the commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Mosul.
Eventually, Jasem sees Isfahani on the other side of the rooftop,
asking him why he uses an American rifle to fire NATO ammo. So, Isfahani answers,
saying they still have more boxes of ammo. Desperate to have more ammo to load their guns,
Jasem accepts Isfahani’s offer of AK-47 ammo to his team in exchange for cigarette cartons.
Technically, nicotine is more critical to Isfahani as he quickly gets ammo packs in
the battle. Afterward, the SWAT men meet with the PMF in front of their building.
However, Jasem has left no choice but to enter the building alone and follows Isfahani’s order. Then,
before entering, Jasem orders his men to take care of themselves as he won’t be taking long inside.
Later, Jasem finally arrives and barters with Isfahani, then says that he always
keeps his distance from their particular group despite getting close to many of them. However,
Isfahani suddenly makes a deal to accept Jasem’s offer, in which Jasem will look at their prisoners
to see if he can identify any. Technically, Jasem is offering Isfahani one carton per head.
Eventually, Jasem calls Kawa down as he realizes that one of the PMF’s prisoners is Kawa’s partner,
Jameel. Then, after Kawa confirms that it’s Jameel, Jasem favors Isfahani to take him
because he gave the SWAT Team to Daesh. At the same time, Jasem’s making a deal with Isfahani.
Jameel continues explaining to Kawa that the ISIS group took him and threatened him
that they’d assassinate his grandson if he refused to show the SWAT Team’s location.
Because of Jameel, the tension between the SWAT Team and PMF eventually rises as Jasem
and Isfahani argue about what they will do with Jameel. Unfortunately, Isfahani refuses to agree
with Jasem regarding them taking Jameel, while Kawa, on the other hand, is profoundly thinking
about why Jameel put them in danger. Suddenly, Kawa uses the ax and attacks Jameel, hitting his
head and getting him killed. Because of that, the tension between Jasem and Isfahani de-escalates,
leaving them shocked at what he did to Jameel. Fortunately, Isfahani agrees with Jasem’s offer
to have one carton of cigarettes per head. Afterward, the SWAT men take the ammo packs
when suddenly Waleed exchanges Hooka’s hookah for an RPG with a single rocket.
Confused, Jasem asks why Waleed does it, so Waleed says that they need more than bullets to wipe out
the base of ISIS. Technically, Waleed realizes that they can’t leave without a single rocket
as their weapon because it’s an excellent defense to destroy the ISIS camp they’ve seen earlier from
the rooftop. Leaving him no choice, Jasem allows Waleed to use it and leaves Isfahani’s building.
Upon getting into the vehicle, Jasem explains to Kawa that his SWAT Team can’t go back for ammo,
call in artillery strikes, or even sleep on mattresses on the safe side of the city
because they have gone against their superior’s new command in the police.
Eventually, Jasem begins to answer Kaya’s repeated questions about their mission when suddenly Kawa
interrupts him and says he’s no longer interested in knowing it anymore. Technically, Kawa clarifies
to Jasem that he will only get interested to know something if he commands something.
Afterward, the SWAT Team continues doing their mission when suddenly they stop driving after
reaching the roadblock. Eventually, the SWAT Team has left no choice but to fight outside
their Humvees, in which Youness suddenly gets killed by friendly fire. Shocked,
Waleed sluggishly walks toward Youness when suddenly he hears
Kawa shouting for help as he gets injured by a friendly fire grenade inside their Humvee.
Unfortunately, Kawa gets facially disfigured and covered with a balaclava, so Amir apologizes as
he admits that he’s the one who threw the grenade on the road to attack the enemies.
After treating Kawa, Jasem orders his men to proceed by foot and enter a building. However,
Razak suddenly gets killed in close-quarter combat, and Sinan endures a stab wound from
the enemies. Unfortunately, it’s a surprise attack that they fail to defend themselves.
Because of that, the remaining SWAT Team aggressively kills all the ISIS men and
leaves them no choice but to proceed to attack the ISIS camp. Upon walking,
Waleed leads the way when Kamal suddenly sees Sinan’s blood pouring down on the ground.
So, Kamal calls the others to inform them that Sinan is bleeding. Afterward, Kamal immediately
covers Sinan’s injury with a cloth to stop it from bleeding. Afterward, Jasem orders his men
to hold on to the road while he and Waleed will check the perimeter from the rooftop. Eventually,
Waleed uses the single rocket to destroy the ISIS camp and signal Jasem to get in for an attack.
As they’re securing the ISIS camp, Akram suddenly dies after getting shot by an ISIS member.
Afterward, Jasem orders his men with their particular task to finally take the camp.
Fortunately, the SWAT Team successfully takes most of the ISIS members,
so Jasem immediately commands his team to reload and hydrate until they finish them off.
On the other hand, Kamal takes care of an injured Sinan by giving him pills for his wound.
The movie ends with Jasem getting killed by an ISIS booby trap after cleaning trash from
any area. Because of his habit, Jasem put himself in danger and left the team alone.
Shocked, the SWAT Team mourns Jasem’s death as they suffer excessive morale loss with the
death of their commander. However, Kawa eventually stands up and talks, reminding the team to get up
and finish their mission despite not having Jasem to lead. Leaving them no choice, Kamal agrees and
thoroughly convinces the rest of their team to prepare their weapons for their last mission.
Waleed then leads the SWAT team and moves into an apartment complex, wherein he uses
a spare key he had hidden under his shoe. Luckily, Waleed successfully opens the
apartment door and aggressively kills the ISIS member who took his wife,
Hayat, and their daughter, Dunya, for forced marriage. Crying, Waleed eventually reunites with
his family while the SWAT Team watches them from behind. Because of that, Kawa finally understands
the SWAT’s objective upon doing their mission. Technically, Kawa learns that Jasem’s idea was
to carry out the missions to liberate the family members after getting captured by ISIS. Afterward,
Kawa voluntarily joins another mission to save Amir’s son, who’s just close to their location.