Gerard Butler's 'Kandahar' Falls Short in Overused Spy Thriller Plot.

"Kandahar," starring Gerard Butler as a CIA operative trying to escape Afghanistan with the help of his translator, lacks the visceral thrills and intense emotionality of its predecessor, "The Covenant." However, the film feels more serious and authentic due to its screenwriter, a former military intelligence officer who sold the script on spec. Shot entirely in Saudi Arabia, the film ambitiously attempts to be more than a simple actioner but falls short in carrying the intended dramatic weight. Butler brings a convincing humanity and vulnerability to his action movie heroics, avoiding the over-the-top machismo of his predecessors in the genre.