Where Was Lone Survivor Filmed?

Based on the 2007 book of the same name, Lone Survivor features different locations filled with lush photography of desert landscapes, emerald green forests, and stunning nighttime shots to effectively engage viewers with its dramatic subjects. One of the highest-grossing war movies made, Lone Survivor follows a group of Navy SEALs as they hopelessly fight against Taliban forces after deciding against neutralizing a goat-herder. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, and Ben Foster, Lone Survivor utilized a series of convincing locations to make the events seen on screen appear as authentic as possible.

Director Peter Berg and cinematographer Tobias Schliessler carefully crafted each scene to maximize the effectiveness of their locations, as it was necessary in order to accurately showcase the harsh realities of war. While office buildings, airplanes, and other intimate spaces were used to highlight tense moments, the great outdoors often served as a much more intimidating force throughout the biographical war drama. The attention to detail used for the locations leading up to Lone Survivor‘s ending helped better convey the film’s themes of honor, valor, and one’s duty to their country.

Albuquerque, New Mexico – Kirtland Air Force Base

The Navy SEALs Prepare For Their Operation

Lone Survivor begins with Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell (Wahlberg) returning to a US Air Force Base via helicopter after the main mission. But, the movie then flashes back to the events of Luttrell and his fellow SEALs doing their morning routine at the base before receiving instructions for the mission – capture Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. The scene introduces viewers to the film’s other main characters, Michael Murphy (Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Hirsch), and Matthew Axelson (Foster), and shows viewers their personalities. After getting to know the team and learning the nature of their mission, they were airlifted from the US base to Afghanistan.

According to OLV, Kirtland Air Force Base proved to be the ideal location to shoot the scenes of the Navy SEALs preparing for their operation, as it most closely resembled the actual base Luttrell and his team used. Furthermore, the location granted the cast and crew an indoor facility spanning over 26,000 square feet, thus allowing them plenty of space to set up more complex shots. Despite being the first main location introduced, Kirtland Air Force Base displayed attention to detail early on.

Sangre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico – Afghanistan

The Navy SEALs Begin Their Operation

Navigating through the mountainous terrain makes communication efforts between the team and their base incredibly difficult, and because of this, they’re eventually spotted by a local villager carrying a walkie-talkie. Initially thinking the villager is a Taliban sympathizer, the team briefly debates what they should do before letting him go. After arguing the moral implications of what they’re doing, the team continues ascending up the mountainside with the intention of extracting their target.

One of the concerns of the producers was choosing landscapes that not only looked realistic but could also be filmed without disrupting their natural beauty. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains were eventually selected. The location was chosen because it looked the closest to the Hindu Kush mountain range. The filmmakers were able to effortlessly divide filming between the New Mexico mountain range that stretches through Colorado and still keep production close to its other primary locations.

Chilili, New Mexico – Afghanistan Mountainside

The Navy SEALs Engage The Taliban

While ascending the mountainside, the SEALs’ greatest fears come true when the villagers alert the Taliban of their presence and track the team down immediately. What occurs next is an intense struggle between the SEALs and the Taliban that starts with the SEALs having the advantage. However, they swiftly lose this position as the enemy forces have greater numbers and artillery on their side, and Dietz is the first to perish in the fierce gunfight. Considered one of Emile Hirsch’s best movies, his character’s death gradually decreases the team’s morale and jump-starts the beginning of the end for the surviving members.

When depicting the scene of the Navy SEALs engaging the Taliban in combat and what transpires when Luttrell is rescued from a Pashtun village, Chilili, New Mexico was the primary location used. The challenging location to shoot at offered a harsher look compared to the more serene scenes and was perfect as it consists of jagged mountains and is a relatively small area. As reported by KRQE, the decision to have Lone Survivor film in Chilili did not come without complications, as the movie unknowingly trespassed on privately owned property by paying the wrong person to use the land.

Sources: OLV, San Diego Union-Tribune, KRQE