Film Review – Lucky Strike (2026)

      Lucky Strike, 2026.

      Directed by Rod Lurie.

      Starring Scott Eastwood, Colin Hanks, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Taylor John Smith, Lorne MacFadyen, Atanas Srebrev, Alfie Stewart, Jonathan Yunger, Timothy Blore, Laurent Maurel, Caroline Piette, Hazel Rogers, and Scott Alda Coffey.

      SYNOPSIS:

      An injured American soldier struggles to survive behind enemy lines during WWII's Battle of the Bulge against the Germans, relying on his instincts, espionage skills, and a hand radio to avoid capture and find his way back to his unit.

      At the conclusion of co-writer/director Rod Lurie’s Lucky Strike, after World War II has ended, the film reverts to a conversation between two characters, concluding with the line, “One day, people will understand why this story matters.” This bold assertion feels misplaced given that the film presents a fairly conventional, almost lacking in plot war narrative, failing to illustrate how Captain Castle's (played by Scott Eastwood and seemingly inspired by a real engineer) struggle for survival—following his inability to save his comrades in battle—was crucial to winning the Battle of the Bulge or the broader context of the war.

      Collaborating on the screenplay with Marc Frydman (who appears to have conducted much of the research and introduced the story to Rod Lurie), it's hard to see why anyone believed this would offer a gripping narrative or an intense survival thriller. Once Captain Castle is by himself, the film seems to aim for a take on Sam Mendes’ 1917, tracking one character from scene to scene, but lacks the craftsmanship, the one-take illusion (even with digital transitions), and the overwhelming sense of scale that characterized that film.

      While some might argue the filmmakers faced constraints due to a limited budget, such limitations do not preclude the capacity to create tension with available resources. The closest moments of suspense arise during a scene where Captain Castle must feign death near a German soldier who is still alive, handling the situation while trying to avoid detection by other patrolling Nazis, and a sequence involving an American stranger who may or may not be covertly aligned with the enemy.

      Unfortunately, the tone exudes the vibe of a dull, educational history video one might encounter in a museum, providing a basic overview of World War II field operations. At times, it resembles the most tedious Call of Duty campaign conceivable, featuring prolonged segments of Scott Eastwood walking and crawling around, attempting to elude enemy discovery, and occasionally being pulled into subpar firefights.

      It’s important to note that there is nothing particularly heroic about Captain Castle, as every time he has the chance to potentially save someone, they end up perishing. This ironic point is even trivialized after the survival segment, where Castle’s superior remarks that the loss of men is simply something that occurs, emphasizing that what truly matters is the safety of the families back home in America. Even more perplexingly humorous is the "for the boys" tag during the credits, paired with World War II photos of soldiers unrelated to the cast or characters.

      The aforementioned framing device also lacks purpose, featuring Captain Castle visiting a grieving mother (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), whose son died in the same battle. For some unknown reason, we even witness him under fire in the prologue (with some poorly executed color grading). None of this holds significance, as it shifts into Castle’s survival narrative, which largely has no connection to her son. Ultimately, a more contrived reason for his visit to the woman is disclosed.

      While one could overlook the weakness of this framing device if the wartime survival elements of Lucky Strike were at all engaging, its numerous attempts at excitement fall flat. Scott Eastwood lacks charisma and does not authentically embody the era or the war, maneuvering through battlefields without any visible signs of injury or dirt. The story revolves around mere chance rather than true survival, and although not necessarily horrible, it ends up feeling almost lifeless, contributing nothing to the legacy of the Battle of the Bulge.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

      Robert Kojder