criminally overlooked “Ambulance” and Apple TV sensation “Presumed Innocent”) at the forefront.
“The Covenant” centers on John Kinley, a U.S. Army Green Beret Master Sergeant who forges an unlikely partnership with an interpreter, Ahmed Abdullah (Dar Salim), during his deployment in Afghanistan. While on a mission, their group is ambushed, leaving John incapacitated and Ahmed the sole survivor. Outnumbered and determined to protect his ally from the enemy, Ahmed embarks on a harrowing journey, ultimately leading John to repay his debt and rescue a stranger who risked everything to bring him back home.
For Ritchie, the film marked a surprising shift for the director, who had previously established his career with London gangster films, the “Sherlock Holmes” series, and even the live-action adaptation of “Aladdin.” With “The Covenant,” he produced enough to receive considerable acclaim from critics, achieving an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It ignited a successful partnership between Ritchie and Gyllenhaal, with the two now collaborating on another action-oriented project that will also star a former Man of Steel, Henry Cavill.
