Guess what? Tom’s mission is a smashing success! The malware does its thing, and boom! The whole facility goes up in smoke. Mission accomplished, baby!

But hold on, there’s more to this story. On the other side of the world, there’s this feisty British journalist stirring up trouble in Iran. She’s been digging into some CIA business and gets her hands on some juicy evidence about their covert operations. Just when she’s about to blow the whistle, she gets nabbed by the Iranian security agency. Talk about bad timing.

Now, back to Tom. He’s on his way to London, but a layover in Dubai messes up his plans. Turns out his flight gets delayed, and guess who’s waiting for him? His CIA handler, Roman Chalmers. Roman pulls some strings to make this unexpected meeting happen, and he’s got an offer Tom can’t refuse. A fat CIA contract in Afghanistan, with enough cash to cover his daughter’s university expenses. Cha-ching!

So, off Tom goes to Herat, Afghanistan, ready for his next mission. But guess what? Some leaky intelligence spills the beans, and suddenly Tom becomes the star of global news. Everyone knows he’s the guy behind the nuclear facility destruction. Yikes! With his cover blown, the Herat mission gets scrapped, and it’s time to get the heck out of there.

Roman steps in again, guiding Tom and his trusty Afghani-American translator, Mo, to a safe extraction point in Kandahar. Sounds easy, right? Wrong! The Iranians and the Pakistanis catch wind of Tom’s presence, and they’re on a hunt to grab him. Pakistan wants to ransom him off to the highest bidder, while the Iranians just want some good old-fashioned revenge.

Tom and Mo find themselves running for their lives, dodging Iranian and Pakistani operatives in the streets of Herat. It’s a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, and they’ve got to outsmart their pursuers. They manage to give them the slip and escape into the vast desert, relying on their wits and survival skills.

But the CIA is keeping a close eye on Tom’s every move. They’re tracking him from the sky, using satellites and fancy drones. Just when things seem somewhat under control, a freakin’ Iranian helicopter comes buzzing their way. Tom, being the badass he is, takes it down and wipes out the crew. Score one for our hero!

Now, on foot and still on the run, Tom and Mo seek refuge with an old Afghan warlord who owes Tom a favor. But wait for it—Mo drops a bombshell. Turns out, this warlord is responsible for the death of Mo’s son years ago. Tensions rise, but the warlord begrudgingly helps them out by providing a vehicle. They hit the road, hoping to outrun their enemies.

While all this craziness is unfolding, Roman goes rogue. Instead of sticking to his CIA gig, he makes a surprise appearance in Afghanistan, joining forces with an ISIS K unit. Yeah, things just got even more complicated.

Tom and Mo’s luck takes a turn for the worse when they get captured by a Taliban warlord. It seems like their warlord friend might have betrayed them. But hold your horses, because Roman and his ISIS K fighters storm the compound where they’re held captive. A fierce battle ensues, and the Taliban warlord meets his maker. In the chaos, Tom, Mo, and Roman manage to escape in a vehicle, leaving behind a trail of mayhem.

But guess who’s not done yet? Yep, our friend Kahil Nassir, the Pakistani agent with powerful Taliban connections. He’s onto them, and he’s out for blood. Kahil launches an attack on their vehicle, and Roman takes a fatal blow. In one last act of bravery, Roman jumps from the vehicle, severely injuring Kahil and reciting the Shahada before meeting his end.

The CIA is watching all of this unfold, and just when it seems like Tom and Mo are doomed, their director decides to go off-book. He orders an unauthorized missile strike on the remaining Taliban pursuers, creating a window of opportunity for our heroes. They manage to escape on a British military cargo plane, leaving their enemies in the dust.

But wait, there’s still more! Kahil, that slippery dude, survives the ordeal. The Iranian widow of the leader of the apprehension team mourns her fallen husband, unaware of the chaos that unfolded. The British journalist is finally released, free to tell her story. And as for Tom, well, he’s finally reunited with his daughter, while Mo gets to embrace his wife once again.

It’s been one hell of a rollercoaster ride for Tom and the gang, filled with danger, betrayal, and heroic acts. They’ve come out the other side, scarred but alive, ready to face whatever comes next. Who knows what adventures await them in the future? One thing’s for sure, though—Tom Harris is not your average tech guy. He’s a force to be reckoned with.

The post Kandahar (2023) first appeared on WhichFilm | Film Reviews | Audience Film Reviews.