Based on a harrowing true story of courage under fire, “Valiant One” is an action war thriller directed, produced, and co-written by Steve Barnett. This lean and modestly budgeted feature clocks in at just barely over 80 minutes. But it does some good things in its short running time, most notably telling a story about overcoming fears in the face of death and putting your life on the line for those under your command.

At Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, United States Army Sergeant Edward Brockman (Chase Stokes) is surprised when he is assigned to a field operation to repair a radar unit in the demilitarized zone near the North Korean border. But their routine in-and-out mission turns into a nightmare after wind shears from a storm causes their helicopter to violently crash outside of allied air space.

With his superiors killed, a reluctant Brockman is next in the chain of command. The first thing he discovers is that he and the other survivors are inside North Korea meaning headquarters can’t send a chopper to pick them up. So Brockman is tasked with leading the team’s medic, Selby (Lana Condor), infantrymen Ross (Jonathan Whitesell) and Lee (Daniel Jun), and a civilian engineer, Josh Weaver (Desmin Borges) across the border to an extraction point where Delta Force is waiting.

“Valiant One” starts off a little shaky as it introduces its core characters through an early sequence hampered by unconvincing tough guy banter. But it gets on track as the soldiers begin making their way through enemy territory. Barnett effectively emphasizes the intense pressure that comes with making split-second decisions. And he’s not afraid to show fear and even panic. That’s because his soldiers aren’t sketched from action movies. They’re grounded in real life.

At the same time, not much is shared about the region’s tensions or the geopolitical interests of the United States. Pretty much all that’s conveyed is we are the good guys and the North Korean army are the bad guys. So don’t expect to learn anything about the conflict beyond that. It doesn’t kill the intensity of watching the soldiers navigate the dangers they repeatedly face. But it does leave the story feeling light on context.

Aside from that, there are a few other blemishes that you can’t help but notice. While most of the performances are serviceable, they aren’t always up to par. And there are a handful of scene-sabotaging music choices that stick out like a sore thumb. But Barnett and company pull it off where it matters most. They make the soldiers their focus, highlighting the in-the-moment courage a soldier must possess despite the emotional consequences that will eventually come with their actions.

VERDICT – 3 STARS