SimilarScreen
Special Forces

Special Forces

Survival. Honor. Sacrifice.

20116.71h 49m

Overview

Afghanistan. War correspondent Elsa Casanova is taken hostage by the Taliban. Faced with her imminent execution, a Special Forces unit is dispatched to free her. In some of the world’s most breathtaking yet hostile landscapes, a relentless pursuit begins between her kidnappers who have no intention of letting their prey escape them and a group of soldiers who risk their lives in pursuit of their single aim – to bring her home alive. This strong, independent woman and these men of duty are thrown together and forced to confront situations of great danger that inextricably bind them – emotionally, violently and intimately.

Directed by Stéphane Rybojad
Written by Emmanuelle Collomp, Stéphane Rybojad, Michael Cooper
Produced by Thierry Marro, Benoit Ponsaillé
Box OfficeBudget: $10.0MRevenue: $3.4M

Top Cast

Diane Kruger

Diane Kruger

Elsa Casanova

Djimon Hounsou

Djimon Hounsou

Commander Kovax

Benoît Magimel

Benoît Magimel

Captain 'Tic-Tac '

Denis Ménochet

Denis Ménochet

Captain Lucas

Raphaël Personnaz

Raphaël Personnaz

Elias, sniper

Alain Figlarz

Alain Figlarz

Victor

Alain Alivon

Alain Alivon

Marius

Mehdi Nebbou

Mehdi Nebbou

Amin, Elsa's guide

Raz Degan

Raz Degan

Ahmed Zaief, leader of the hostage takers

Tchéky Karyo

Tchéky Karyo

Admiral Guezennec

Themes & Keywords

rescuejournalistkidnappingafghanistanpakistantalibanwar zone

About Special Forces

Special Forces is a action, drama, war film released in 2011 exploring themes of rescue, journalist, kidnapping, afghanistan, pakistan, taliban. Directed by Stéphane Rybojad, it stars Diane Kruger, Djimon Hounsou, Benoît Magimel. Afghanistan. War correspondent Elsa Casanova is taken hostage by the Taliban. Faced with her imminent execution, a Special Forces unit is dispatched to free her. In some of the world’s most breathtaking yet hostile landscapes, a relentless pursuit begins between her kidnappers who have no intention of letting their prey escape them and a group of soldiers who risk their lives in pursuit of their single aim – to bring her home alive. This strong, independent woman and these men of duty are thrown together and forced to confront situations of great danger that inextricably bind them – emotionally, violently and intimately.

Movies Similar to Special Forces

Discover titles like Special Forces — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Special Forces

If you enjoyed Special Forces, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Special Forces.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
36% Match

In 2002, cable news producer Kim Barker decides to shake up her routine by taking a daring new assignment in Kabul, Afghanistan. Dislodged from her comfortable American lifestyle, Barker finds herself in the middle of an out-of-control war zone. Luckily, she meets Tanya Vanderpoel, a fellow journalist who takes the shell-shocked reporter under her wing. Amid the militants, warlords and nighttime partying, Barker discovers the key to becoming a successful correspondent.

Warhorse One
29% Match

A gunned down Navy SEAL Master Chief must guide a child to safety through a gauntlet of hostile Taliban insurgents and survive the brutal Afghanistan wilderness.

Lone Survivor
28% Match

Four Navy SEALs on a covert mission to neutralize a high-level Taliban operative must make an impossible moral decision in the mountains of Afghanistan that leads them into an enemy ambush. As they confront unthinkable odds, the SEALs must find reserves of strength and resilience to fight to the finish.

The Point Men
28% Match

A group of Korean tourists is taken hostage by an extremist Taliban group in Afghanistan. The Korean government dispatches Jae-ho, known as one of Korea's most skilled diplomats, in order to handle the situation. Once he arrives, he asks for the Afghan government's cooperation and uses every means possible to free the hostages. However, his efforts go in vain. Due to his failure, he's forced to work with Dae-sik, a special agent who is an expert on the Middle East. As they begin making their move to get to the Taliban, the first hostage death occurs. With nowhere else to turn, the two become unlikely allies in a race against time to save the rest of the hostages.

12 Strong
24% Match

12 Strong(2018)

Movie6.3/10

A team of special forces head into Afghanistan in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks in an attempt to dismantle the Taliban.

5 Days of War
23% Match

An American journalist and his cameraman are caught in the combat zone during the first Russian airstrikes against Georgia. Rescuing Tatia, a young Georgian schoolteacher separated from her family during the attack, the two reporters agree to help reunite her with her family in exchange for serving as their interpreter. As the three attempt to escape to safety, they witness--and document--the devastation from the full-scale crossfire and cold-blooded murder of innocent civilians.

Dirty Angels
23% Match

During the United States' 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, a group of female soldiers posing as medical relief are sent back in to rescue a group of kidnapped teenagers caught between ISIS and the Taliban.

Lions for Lambs
22% Match

Three stories told simultaneously in ninety minutes of real time: a Republican Senator who's a presidential hopeful gives an hour-long interview to a skeptical television reporter, detailing a strategy for victory in Afghanistan; two special forces ambushed on an Afghani ridge await rescue as Taliban forces close in; a poli-sci professor at a California college invites a student to re-engage.

War Machine
20% Match

A rock star general bent on winning the “impossible” war in Afghanistan takes us inside the complex machinery of modern war. Inspired by the true story of General Stanley McChrystal.

Mercenaries
20% Match

A diplomatic official is captured and imprisoned while touring a war zone, so a team of elite female commandos is assembled to infiltrate a women's prison for a daring rescue.

Taken
19% Match

Taken(2008)

Movie7.4/10

Bryan Mills, a former government operative, is trying to reconnect with his teenage daughter Kim. After reluctantly agreeing with his ex-wife to let Kim go to Paris on vacation with a friend, his worst nightmare comes true. While on the phone with his daughter shortly after she arrives in Paris, she and her friend are abducted by a gang of human traffickers. Working against the clock, Bryan relies on his extensive training and skills to track down the ruthless gang that abducted her and launch a one-man war to rescue his daughter.