OUTSIDE THE WIRE
A sharp, patriotic thriller with adult-only content concerns.
Should You Watch It?
Outside the Wire is a well-structured, entertaining science fiction thriller with a strong moral and patriotic worldview. It stresses compassion, marriage, faith in people, support for one’s country, and human control over technology.
The film also carries serious costs. Its action includes bloody injuries, beatings, explosions, gunfire, and other extreme violence. The language is extensive and often gratuitous, including 109 obscenities and four strong Jesus profanities.
The result is a well-made film that is not suitable for children or young teens. Discerning adults and older teenagers who can withstand the content may find its moral questions worthwhile. For them, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESFifteen years in the future, Eastern Europe is caught in a civil war, and the United States has been stationed there as a peacekeeping force. After a drone mistake, Air Force Lieutenant Thomas Harp is sent overseas.
There, he meets Captain Leo, a commanding officer with an extraordinary secret: he is a classified android created by the United States government. As Harp joins Leo on missions outside the wire, he must decide how much to trust both the soldier beside him and the technology behind him.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a highly entertaining, well-constructed thriller. Anthony Mackie and Damon Idris make a solid on-screen team, and the action sequences are choreographed well.
The plot points are placed appropriately within the movie’s nearly two-hour timeframe. Its engaging entertainment value gives the science fiction story momentum while leaving room for questions about morality, technology, and responsibility.
The Worldview
Outside the Wire presents a mixed worldview. It strongly emphasizes compassion, marriage, patriotism, faith in people, and human control over technology. Lieutenant Harp represents a moral worldview and supports his home country, the United States.
Captain Leo, by contrast, displays a façade of morality and acts in a lawless, pagan way. He believes that humanity is unable to learn from its mistakes and that achieving good may require getting “down and dirty.” The film makes clear that Leo is the villain, even though his actions initially appear to have a positive impact.
Leo’s desire to destroy his creator, the United States, gives him anti-American characteristics. Harp ultimately makes a decision that shows faith in people and his country. The film resembles stories such as Avengers: Age of Ultron and the character Thanos, in which killing many people is treated as worthwhile to prove a point. The movie contains only a few Christian elements, including an Orthodox priest praying over someone in a hospital bed and two Ukrainian men wearing crosses. Its moral hero saves the day, but the film does not point to Jesus as humanity’s ultimate source of hope.
The film’s longing for moral action and hope needs more than human judgment or technological control. Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Strong moral, patriotic worldview extols compassion and marriage where soldier hero must overcome the schemes of the villain, an Anti-American android soldier created by the United States government who wants to destroy his creator and has a lawless pagan attitude, some Christian elements such as an Orthodox priest prays over someone in a hospital bed and two other Ukrainian men wear crosses around their necks, and brief anti-communist ideals
Foul Language
109 obscenities (mostly “f” words), four strong Jesus profanities, 11 light profanities
Violence
Very strong and strong action violence includes guns pointed at hostages’ heads, man gets stabbed with a flag pole and there’s blood depicted, dead bodies with gunshot wounds to the head with dried blood on the bags covering their faces, some blood splatter, and a character who bleeds out profusely in the neck, beatings, hand to hand combat with knifes and a few characters get sliced up, two men get pushed off a roof in different scenes, explosions depicted, burnt bodies shown quickly, gunfire throughout, and a mention of death
Sex
One sexual joke
Nudity
Upper male nudity
Alcohol Use
No alcohol use
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
Man tries to light a cigarette, but no drugs;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Characters hold a grudge against a lieutenant for his actions.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Harp must decide whether to trust people, technology, or his own judgment. What does Scripture say about human wisdom, and where should we seek guidance?
Proverbs 3:5–6 · James 1:5The film presents compassion and marriage as important moral goods. How can compassion shape the way we treat people who are afraid, vulnerable, or in need?
Micah 6:8 · Colossians 3:12–14Leo believes that destructive actions can be justified if they accomplish a greater good. Does Scripture permit us to do evil in order to produce good?
Romans 3:8 · Romans 12:21Harp’s loyalty to his home country is part of his moral identity. How can Christians honor their country while remembering that their highest allegiance belongs to God?
Romans 13:1–7 · Philippians 3:20The Final Word
Outside the Wire is a highly entertaining thriller with a moral, patriotic heart. But its extensive profanity and extreme bloody violence make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults and older teenagers, it is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For other family viewing, consider.
