“13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi” tells the story of the 2012 terrorist attacks on the U.S. State Department Special Mission Compound and CIA station, referred to as “the Annex,” in Benghazi, Libya. Although this historic event has made its way into politics and has caused suspicions to soar, director Michael Bay’s film strives to capture the truth behind the night and to honor those who witnessed it firsthand.

Just as the film depicts, members of the Annex Security Team volunteered their services at the Annex, putting their lives on the line in order to save nearly 30 Americans who were trapped inside during the attack. Throughout the night, four Americans lost their lives, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith and Annex Security Team Members Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.

With a little background in mind, it is easier to understand the film and the experiences that lay at its foundation. While the intensity and dramatics of the film give it an entertaining edge, “13 Hours” captures the factually accurate “story we were never told,” according to the film’s press materials.

In anticipation of the movie’s opening this past Friday, former Marines Mark “Oz” Geist and John “Tig” Tiegen, who served on the Annex Security Team during the Benghazi attacks, visited St. Louis in November to introduce themselves and the film. (The two consulted with the filmmakers on set.) Shedding insight on both the film set and the actual attacks, Geist and Tiegen shared their thoughts and perspectives on a film that makes the reality and heroism of the “secret soldiers” a little less secret.

After a few lighthearted jokes and introductions, the interview began. When asked why they decided to help Mitchell Zuckoff write the book, “13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi,” on which the film is based, Tiegen explained that it offered them an opportunity to honor the men who fought and died for the cause.

“The politics took over the story. Four guys weren’t being honored,” he said.

Putting politics aside, this film gave them an opportunity to capture the true story, depicting what they and their fellow team members did and honoring them−and their work−when no one else was.

However, it was not without some hesitation that Geist and Tiegen decided to help turn the book into a film.

“Hollywood can take a story and turn it into something else,” Geist said.

This made their role critical to the movie’s accuracy.

While they wanted the film to be entertaining, “We wanted to make sure the story was being told correctly,” Geist said.

Making a 13-hour experience brimming with confusion and intensity into a two-hour movie made for some difficulties.

“We needed to condense 13 hours into two, but in a way that doesn’t lose the true essence of the story,” Geist said.

Two hours seems to be enough time to give people at least an idea of what security contractors do. Security contractors play roles of both armed forces and governmental security, offering their service in combat as well as protection for key personnel or premises in hostile territories.

When asked about the life-threatening tasks they took on in the course of their service, both men explained it as a necessary duty.

“We are going to risk our lives for others if you need us to do it,” Tiegen said.

Preferring to remain out of the spotlight, the men added that publicly telling this story was not necessarily an easy choice, but they said it was a necessary one. With their help, the film seeks to educate its audience, without bias, about what really occurred that night in the Annex.

Geist and Tiegen attribute part of this authenticity to the actors who play them in the film. Geist noted that each actor’s efforts to understand his character’s personal position and background helped him to best capture the reality of that night.

“The little mannerisms they bring make it that much more real,” Geist said.

They wanted to expose even the smallest truths and personal moments that would help the plot of this action-drama resonate with individuals beyond the movie screen and hit closer to home for American viewers. Examples of such moments include the scenes of each man’s family back home. While cinematically cathartic, these moments are far from contrived.

In the final moments of the interview, both Geist and Tiegen offered their final reasons to see the movie.

“Don’t make your decisions [about the event] based on what you’ve heard from a political standpoint. Before you make judgments, come in and see it,” Geist said.

While this movie offers all the entertainment of an action-packed film, underneath lies a story from which Americans have much to learn. See the movie that documents the real, untold story and pays tribute to the men who made it possible.