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ARTICLE AD BOX
There’s a new No. 1 movie on Netflix — the 2023 action thriller Kandahar starring Gerard Butler. Never heard of it? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Kandahar director Ric Roman Waugh previously teamed with Butler on Angel Has Fallen and Greenland, and the duo will reunite for Greenland: Migration next year.
However, Kandahar isn’t like the earlier collaborations between Butler and Waugh, as it attempts to ground the action in reality.
Although Kandahar only grossed $9.4 million worldwide two years ago, it’s now a streaming hit in 2025. And Watch With Us is sharing the three reasons you need to watch Kandahar on Netflix right now.
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The Story Is Uncommonly Timely
One of the major plot points in Kandahar is about the ongoing attempts to cripple Iran’s nuclear program. Early in the movie, freelance operative Tom Harris (Butler) and his partner successfully implant a computer virus to destroy an Iranian nuclear facility. This was roughly two years before the recent military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in real life.
It did feel a little contrived for Tom to accept another mission to sabotage Iran so quickly after the first one. But this movie kicks up a gear when Tom’s cover is blown and his part in the CIA operation becomes front-page news. That forces Tom to abort his current mission and attempt to escape from Afghanistan without being captured.
Gerard Butler Lives Up to His Iconic Action Hero Status
Butler has had leading roles in numerous action movies over the past two decades, most notably in Olympus Has Fallen and its sequels, as well as 300. Kandhar gives Butler a chance to have a Liam Neeson moment by playing Tom as a real human being rather than a cardboard action hero. Tom is very good at his job, at the cost of a close relationship with his family. All he wants to do is get back home to reunite with his daughter, Ida Harris (Olivia-Mai Barrett), in time for her graduation.
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Tom also forms a bond with his Afghan translator, Mohammad “Mo” Doud (Navid Negahban), who has his own personal mission. Kandahar never becomes a buddy action movie, and the connection between Tom and Mo is so profound that it allows the former to confess his failings. Tom even acknowledges the severe cost that Mo and other translators have paid for helping the U.S. during the war in Afghanistan. Butler’s performance is terrific and a reminder of why he’s an action movie superstar.
‘Kandahar’ Is More Realistic Than Other Action Movies
Some viewers may find the first half of Kandahar hard to sit through because it’s not paced like a typical action movie. It’s also not the kind of film where there’s action every five minutes. Most of the action set pieces in this movie are relatively realistic. However, Tom’s battle with a pursuing helicopter definitely feels like a little break from reality. But since it’s one of the best action scenes in the film, we can overlook that.
One of the most refreshing aspects of Kandahar is that it doesn’t make its antagonists into cartoonish villains. Iranian security agent Farzad Asadi (Bahador Foladi) may be Tom’s enemy, but he also has a life and a lover outside of his job. Similarly, ISI agent Kahil Nasir (Ali Fazal) almost seems like an action hero himself, even though he’s trying to capture Tom and Mo. Nasir sees through a CIA ploy and also works against the Iranians because his government wants to auction Tom off to the highest bidder.
Gerard Butler, Navid Negahban in Kandahar Open Road Films /Courtesy Everett CollectionThis isn’t a perfect action movie, but it’s largely well-made and it feels very different from several of the other titles on Netflix. If you’re looking for something fresh from the genre, Kandahar may be the movie for you.
Kandahar is streaming on Netflix.
English (US) ·