“Lucky Strike,” a war drama inspired by true events, struggles to justify its existence, delivering a predictable and overly patriotic story that lacks emotional depth. The film opens in an unusual greyscale style, following a group of Black soldiers driving through the Ardennes Forest during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. Evans (Reomy D. Mpeho) and his First Sergeant (Kwame Patterson) reflect on the exhaustion and uncertainty of war before they are abruptly killed by German soldiers. The sudden shift suggests the film may explore their experiences, but instead, the story moves toward Colonel John Castle (Scott Eastwood), a white officer working for Galvin Industries in the present day.

Castle arrives at Mrs. Caldwell’s (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) home to discuss her unpaid benefits, but the film quickly jumps back to 1944, where Castle is now a captain leading the 324th Engineering Battalion in Belgium. Assigned by Colonel Neale (Colin Hanks) to destroy a road used by the German 1st SS Panzer Division, Castle’s mission follows a familiar war-film formula. His entire unit is destroyed, leaving him stranded behind enemy lines and forced to navigate dangerous territory alone while trying to reach safety.

Although inspired by real events, “Lucky Strike” fails to create a compelling survival story. Castle’s journey across a bleak wartime landscape feels slow and repetitive, offering little tension or curiosity. Director Rod Davis Lurie, known for films such as “The Last Castle” and “The Outpost,” appears to aim for a classic wartime tribute, but the result feels closer to outdated propaganda films designed to inspire support for war efforts rather than a thoughtful exploration of sacrifice and survival.

The film’s biggest weakness is its central character. Scott Eastwood plays Castle as a traditional “everyman” hero, but the character is so underdeveloped that audiences struggle to connect with him. Viewers learn only basic details: he is a husband, a father, an engineer, and someone capable of making difficult decisions under pressure. However, relatability does not come from a lack of personality. The greatest examples of everyman characters are memorable because audiences understand their fears, hopes, and personal struggles. Castle, by comparison, remains distant throughout the film.

The supporting characters also fail to leave an impact. The soldiers, civilians, and strangers Castle encounters during his journey rarely receive enough screen time to add emotional weight or reveal new aspects of his personality. Instead, the film becomes a repetitive cycle of Castle escaping danger, defeating German soldiers, and receiving instructions through his radio companion, “Lassie.” While the radio eventually gains symbolic importance, the meaning arrives too late to create a meaningful emotional connection.

The action sequences are equally disappointing. Scenes involving Castle hiding with farmers, avoiding Nazis, and surviving attacks feel predictable and lack visual energy. The filmmaking choices, including weak CGI effects, unclear camera work, and uninspired editing, prevent these moments from creating genuine suspense. The deaths throughout the film rarely generate emotion because they feel like expected plot points rather than meaningful losses.

Eastwood’s performance further highlights the film’s limitations. While he previously appeared in Lurie’s “The Outpost,” where the larger ensemble helped strengthen the story, here he carries the entire film and struggles with a character that offers little complexity. Castle is presented as a hero, but the script does not provide enough insight into his internal conflicts or personal transformation.

By the conclusion, “Lucky Strike” attempts to deliver a message about heroism and sacrifice through a sentimental montage of real World War II soldiers accompanied by the patriotic song “Show Mercy to the Hero” by Calman Hart. Instead of creating a powerful tribute, the ending reinforces the film’s biggest problem: it relies on patriotic symbolism rather than genuine emotional storytelling.

Ultimately, “Lucky Strike” feels like a missed opportunity. With a story rooted in real history and themes of courage, survival, and sacrifice, the film could have explored the human cost of war in a meaningful way. Instead, it delivers a flat, predictable experience that feels more like a tribute to old-fashioned war propaganda than a modern examination of the realities of conflict.