nobuemon

7/10

SAS: Rogue Heroes is a high-octane, stylized retelling of the formation of Britain’s Special Air Service during World War II—based on the real events chronicled in Ben Macintyre’s nonfiction book. Created by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders), the series leans hard into swagger and attitude, framing its historical drama with a rock-and-roll edge that’s both its strength and its occasional weakness. Set against the unforgiving backdrop of the North African desert, the show introduces us to a band of misfit soldiers—rebellious, damaged, and disillusioned—who are willing to defy orders, break the rules, and rewrite the playbook of modern warfare. Connor Swindells stars as David Stirling, the ambitious, restless aristocrat whose injuries turn him from a conventional officer into the founder of a revolutionary unit. Jack O’Connell’s Paddy Mayne and Alfie Allen’s Jock Lewes bring unpredictable energy and intensity, giving the ensemble a volatile dynamic that’s as compelling as it is dangerous. Visually, SAS: Rogue Heroes is vibrant and bold, with fast editing, fourth-wall breaks, and an anachronistic soundtrack that includes AC/DC and punk rock—not exactly period-accurate, but definitely attention-grabbing. It makes no attempt to be a dry, reverent history lesson. Instead, it tells the story with flair, leaning into the mythology of the SAS’s origins and the legend-making that followed. While the tone is entertaining, it can also be inconsistent. The stylization sometimes undercuts the emotional gravity of real events, and character development can feel rushed in favor of attitude and action. Some viewers may love the irreverence; others may find it distracts from the human drama beneath the surface. Still, it’s a gripping, stylish take on an extraordinary chapter of military history. The cast is strong, the story is wild, and it’s unlike most war dramas you’ve seen. I give it a solid 7/10.

MovieGuys

0/10

I've long since stopped being a fan of the UK's BBC and series like Rogue Heroes, just reinforces my resolve, to keep my distance. SAS: Rogue Hero's, mixes revisionist history, with a view of war as a "jolly old adventure" it never was and never will be. Its light, jaunty, almost flippant tones and its odd contempt for Australian's soldiers, who Rommel said he'd want at his side were he to ever invade hell, is both irritating and I feel, more than a little insulting.The reference to Commonwealth troops, who died in droves, as "colonials", doesn't help either. Put bluntly, this thing reeks of longing for a revival of the elitist British empire, with its over zealous desire to glorify and worship war, in the worst way possible. That is, by treating it as something pedestrian, rather than something alien and abhorrent. The only discernible upside here is quality acting and polished sets. Certainly the BBC never fails in this department. In summary, unless you enjoy singing "Rule Britannia", on a regular basis, in your Union Jack undershorts, while your bemused Corgi's look on, this may be one best left alone.

Etelekeli

0/10

The SAS are heroes, but they aren't necessarily nice people. This dramatized version of the story of the role of the SAS in WW2 has flaws but those are worth ignoring. A reality hard to swallow for modern audiences is that flippancy and a lack of respect, the notion of war as a great adventure was part of the SAS ethos at the time and indeed in the British armed forces generally. But alongside the flippancy was serious professionalism. The SAS excelled at desert warfare especially the long range navigation across the desert needed to pinpoint German positions. They invented "shock and awe", but didn't have a name for it, with hit and run attacks bringing overwhelming firepower and a knowledge of how to use that firepower effectively that was a revolution in warfare at the time. This aspect of the SAS is portrayed well. The attempt to inject love interest into David Stirling's role in the formation of the SAS is clumsy and seems unnecessary. The language and attitudes portrayed are of their time, particularly a casual dislike of the French and Australian combatants. It would have been wrong to dress this up for modern audiences. However I suspect that these attitudes will irritate many viewers. Watching the related documentary series "SAS Rogue Warriors" is recommended, it explains elements of the plot that are not obvious such as the key role played by people who are minor characters in the drama.