Soul Patrol uncovers a hidden chapter of American military history: the Vietnam War’s first Black special operations team, an elite unit that operated deep behind enemy lines.
Director J.M. Harper had unprecedented access to the surviving veterans and their personal archives of Super 8 footage, photographs and audio. The film opens in limited US cinemas this Friday through Kino Lorber.
The men tell their own story, and it is one that should never have been forgotten.
Movie at a Glance
- US release: Limited release from Friday 6 November 2026; digital from 15 December (Kino Lorber)
- UK release: No UK release date confirmed at the time of writing
- Director: J.M. Harper
- Runtime: 99 minutes
- Genre: Documentary, war
Viewer Match
- Best for: History lovers and anyone interested in untold stories of war.
- Maybe skip if: War stories are too painful for you.
- Mood and pace: Intimate, reflective and haunting.
- Cinema or streaming? Cinema if you can, but it will work well at home.
- Spoiler level: Spoiler-free.
A Hidden History
The raw Super 8 footage gives the film an immediacy that is rare in Vietnam War storytelling. These are the men’s own images, and they bring the past startlingly close.
Harper pairs them with reconstructed scenes and testimony.
A Reunion
The surviving members reunite in a hotel that becomes a strange, almost dreamlike space where memory, brotherhood and unresolved trauma collide. It is an unusual structure, and a moving one.
Critics have been almost unanimous in their praise.
Where It Fits
For another remarkable war story, read our The Mosquito Bowl Super Review. This week’s other films are in this week’s Weekly Cinema Pack, and tonight’s picks are in What to Watch Tonight.
Spoiler-Free Verdict
Soul Patrol is a powerful, inventive documentary that gives a group of forgotten veterans their rightful place in history.
- Performances: 8/10
- Direction: 8.5/10
- Screenplay: 7.5/10
- Score: 7.5/10
- Cinematography: 8/10
- Entertainment Value: 7.5/10
- Overall score: 8/10
Star rating: 4/5
Verdict badge: Worth Seeing
One-line verdict: A haunting, essential piece of hidden history.
Watch the Official Trailer
Watch the official teaser trailer from Kino Lorber.
Had you heard of the Soul Patrol before? Tell us.