I Am Soldier

Tom Hughes,Miranda Raison,Alex Reid,Jordan Long

A soldier is being tortured by English speaking who demand details of his unit and mission.Mickey (Tom Hughes) and JJ (George Russo) meet and ride a train to Llandovery, Wales. The landscape is bleak and snowy. An attractive woman gives them directions, they get off at a small town and walk half a mile to the camp gates. JJ says his dad was in the SAS. They find out the directions were bad and have to call a cab, they are miles from their destination. The two go to a nearby pub. The woman is there and Mickey introduces himself. Things get tense and quiet, Mickey decides to leave with JJ.The next day (and everyday) at 4:30 they awaken and start training, there are five groups of 40 candidates, the subtitles show they only have two chances to make it. The folks from the pub are the SAS directing staff. Staff Sgt Carter (Noel Clarke) tells them it will be tough and starts them off running a road up into the hills. Mickey reveals he is currently an army cook, the others laugh at him.Then they start running/walking with heavy packs, Sgt Carter tells they are building strength and stamina. The numbers whittle down.They learn hand to hand combat. Carter shows how easy it is to evade a larger man and the woman from the train and pub, Capt. Dawn Canterbury, (Alex Reid), easily puts down a large candidate Chris (Josh Meyers). She says their technique is the best close combat fighting method in the world.They shoot guns, climb trees and practice fighting. Mickey uses a boxing stance and KOs a large fellow trainee, Canterbury notices and smiles.Capt Canterbury sees him leaving the shower and is friendly.An important test is a 40 mile hike with 55 lb packs and rifles in 18 hours, with 2 rendez-vous points. Mickey, JJ and Chris set off. They make the first RV in time, the DI sends them to the next. Very tired they struggle to make the second. Now the third leg, the three help each other and make it with a second to spare.Mickey has flashbacks and nightmares about an airborne parachuting incident. JJ notices and tries to find out what is happening.At night slavic voices discuss explosives over a bright city skyline.Carter now says the final test, the escape and evasion will happen, they will be let out with only an old WW2 overcoat, not to go near buildings, roads or paths or else they will be ``binned``. Mickey and JJ pair up and head off. They set a fire and camp for the night, eating a rabbit. Mickey admits his nightmares are from when he was in the `Paras`. An accident killed a man he tried to save, he stopped jumping and remustered as a cook,now he wants to make ``the SASs`` as they are the best. Later they are caught, Mickey is hung up by his wrists in a warehouse.He is questioned by an attractive blonde (Miranda Raison) who asks him to sign a sheet. He refuses and she insults him and his mother. He is stripped and ridiculed by the woman. Mickey is strung up again. Tired, blindfolded, his captors make loud noises to keep him awake. A long drawn out period with further questioning as the captors try to break his will, Mickey continues to refuse to answer questions, even though faced with dire threats and verbal abuse.Finally he is taken outside, Carter is waiting with a rifle, and...tells him he has passed.More training, a Chinook helicopter carries a squad. They have to jump and land within 10 metres of a target. Mickey freezes at the door until Carter pushed him out. JJ lands and takes off his pack, Mickey lands shortly after, happy. Capt Canterbury gives him a smile and encouraging words on their return to barracks.Less than 10% pass the selection. The men wait nervously, Chris is interviewed first and departs, washed out. Mickey is called in and a Major Pritchard gives him a lecture, then gives him a tan beret. Mickey accepts and the Major says well done.Mickey and JJ gaze at a clock tower, a symbol for the regiment with the names of those killed in action. Then they go to the same pub where the cheerful DS buy them drinks and welcome them to the club.Sgt Carter tells Mickey he was one of the best recruits to come through, and says he has been selected to his squad. Mickey still has a 12 month probation period.Later, Capt Canterbury comes to his room in a blouse and jeans and her hair down, she takes off her shoes and they kiss, start to undress and move to the bed. Her phone rings, she replies in a slavic language, dresses and leaves with a kiss. Then Mickey`s phone rings and Carter is summoning him for 2100 hrs.They are briefed by MI5 about a group of Bosnians and explosives, radioactive material. The SAS Major lays out the plan, the squad is dressed in black uniforms and move out. They enter an industrial complex. Taking out guards they enter and start a firefight with the Bosnians. Canterbury is there in jeans and being beaten up, she gets the upper hand and shoots her assailant, then joins Carter. The squad looks for WMD. One SAS is shot as they push the enemy across the warehouse. JJ sees a enemy attacking their rear, he tackles the man but is killed by a suicide bomb.Carter takes Mickey with only 9mm automatics to enter an office area, both are attacked by large men. The leader, Petrovic has a bomb and runs away followed by Mickey. Carter struggles with his man but eventually subdues the bear-like Bosnian. In the yard Mickey fights hand to hand with Petrovic, knocks him out and secures the bomb.Freeze frame!