Film fans looking to honor Veterans Day 2023 with a movie they haven’t seen need look no further than a 2019 film starring Charlie Hunnam. The military-themed thriller Triple Frontier is stacked with an all-star cast that includes Ben Affleck and Pedro Pascal alongside Hunnam.

Directed by J.C. Chandor, Triple Frontier follows five veterans struggling with civilian life after their service. Tom “Redfly” Davis (Affleck), Santiago “Pope” Garcia (Oscar Isaac), Francisco “Catfish” Morales (Pascal), William “Ironhead” Miller (Hunnam), and William’s younger brother Ben (Garrett Hedlund) face personal and professional setbacks. The film showcases Charlie Hunnam’s acting chops and opens with a solid monologue from the Sons of Anarchy alum.

Faced with a lack of support from their country, they turn to alternative methods of healing. Pope, a military advisor in South America, seizes an opportunity for them to capitalize on the situation. In the heart of the jungle lies a lavish cash house, owned by the infamous Colombian drug lord Gabriel Martin Lorea, housing a staggering $75 million. It awaits the skilled expertise of a special operations team, ready to carry out a daring heist.

Why Charlie Hunnam’s War Film is Solid Veterans Day 2023 Viewing

The premise of the film harkens back to ’80s and ’90s action fare that starred Sly Stallone. However, Triple Frontier digs deeper. Triple Frontier is elevated by Mark Boal’s script. Boal is known for his Academy Award-winning work on The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty. Director Chandor delves into the moral dilemmas faced by these veterans. The film explores how institutional challenges shaped their destinies and their unconventional methods of employing unique skill sets.

Some film fans may wonder if this action film qualifies for Veterans Day viewing. However, Triple Frontier fits Veterans Day 2023 viewing as it delves into the daunting challenges faced by returning heroes in a country that fails to recognize their sacrifices.

After a slow and dramatic start, followed by an action-packed middle, Chandor skillfully turns the rest of Triple Frontier into an intense survival thriller. Stranded in the unforgiving jungle, these men question the morality of their actions as they desperately try to find a way home.

Hunnam and Hedlund Weren’t Originally Siblings in ‘Triple Frontier’

Hunnam’s performance stands out, boosted by the chemistry with onscreen brother Garret Hedlund. “Garrett and I have known each other and been very dear friends for fifteen years,” Hunnam told Screenrant in 2019. “That’s how we ended up becoming brothers in the film.” It turns out, Hedlund and Hunnam weren’t supposed to be siblings in the film. However, director J.C. Chandor cooked up the idea when he noticed the bond between the pair.

“He was looking at us both, and feeling like there was too much similarity physically,” Hunnam recalled. “Our vibes were too similar, that he felt like it would be distracting.” Of course, simply making the characters brothers covered their bases. “[The director realized he] could just change the script and write us as brothers and have us both! It required very little for the two of us to create a brotherly bond.”