Warfare

R/Drama/Action/95 Mins

Directed/Written by: Ray Mendoza & Alex Garland

Starring: D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Joseph Quinn, Cosmo Jarvis, Will Poulter, Charles Melton, Michael Gandolfini, Taylor John Smith, Kit Connor, Noah Centineo, Finn Bennett, Adain Bradley, Henry Zaga, Evan Holtzman

Review:

This film is exactly what the title suggests. WARFARE.

95 minutes of brutal, deafening, intense warfare. There is no romanticizing war, no back and forth between the front lines and suits in a government building, you’re in the boots of these soldiers on the ground taking everything on impact in real time. It’s an achievement in war filmmaking.

Warfare is a war story retold from the memories of a real life platoon of Navy SEALs during the Iraq War. A surveillance mission takes a turn for the worst and now the group of soldiers must band together and find a way to make it out alive.

This synopsis is concise and to the point because so is the film itself. From beginning to end, the viewer is immersed in modern warfare, following every step of these troops trying to get from point A to point B. There’s no excess, there’s no deep character development, everything is in-the-now right up until the screen cuts to black. I don’t find that to be an issue at all, I admire that it sets out to tell this specific story and wastes no time doing it, and achieves it masterfully.

From little character moments, showcasing the brotherhood, joking around, the way each soldier interacts with each other (even if it’s just a look), it paints a picture without having to say much. In such a short time, you’re attached to these soldiers and it makes the intense moments even more nerve wrecking. Highlighting each of the actors in this big ensemble would take up most of this review, but I would like to single out D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai who portrays co-writer/director Ray Mendoza, Joseph Quinn as Sam, and Cosmo Jarvis as Elliot. Woon-A-Tai as Ray is the most fleshed out of the platoon and the closest to a protagonist, since he’s based on the filmmaker, you’re able to get a more inside look into what he was thinking and feeling. Quinn as Sam, anything he’s in, he’s phenomenal. If Joseph cries in a movie, I’m going to cry in the theater, he’s that good. Jarvis as Elliot is based on the soldier who’s this film is dedicated to. I never heard of Cosmo Jarvis (what a name) before this film, he’s on my radar now. It’s too early to tell, but these are some names you may be hearing at next year’s Academy Awards.

Another category this film should win, is SOUND DESIGN. Similar to Garland’s previous film, Civil War, the way he uses sound to showcase the brutality of war is evident here as well. And yes, like his last film, this film made me jump in my seat and spill a little bit of my popcorn. The sounds of Warfare is an assault to the senses. Every gun shot, grenade explosion, smoke bomb, fighter jet fly by, it gets a visceral reaction from the audience. It puts you in the action which makes it all the more terrifying to watch. I was so invested in the film, I didn’t even notice until the credits rolled that there was no musical score at all present in the film. During the Q&A after the film, Ray Mendoza mentioned that it was intentional because he didn’t want the audience to be told how to feel/react from a music cue. I think that just adds to the realism of the picture and it’s highly effective.

Adding to the realism is also the horrific and grisly visuals of war. This film has a lot of action, but this isn’t a popcorn movie. It’s not fun to watch, yet it is very engaging. Since this film showcases the brutality of war, it doesn’t shy away from its disturbing nature. There are shots of the POV through a sniper’s scope, like the sniper focusing on the enemy, you’re holding your breath, terrified of what’s in your sights. Warfare never lets the viewer rest, like the soldiers on screen, you’re locked in and on edge. It’s visceral, unrelenting, anxiety-inducing, like it’s all happening right in front of you.

What I appreciate about this film is that it’s not pro or anti-war, it’s not glorifying anything, it also doesn’t shy away from its atrocities. It’s just showing the viewer that this is what warfare is. It showcases the brotherhood between soldiers, the life or death split-second decisions, leaving you disoriented and consumed by unrelenting chaos. Warfare is a heavy, shocking, uncompromising experience, but one that is highly recommended.

Score: 9.5/10

Warfare will be released in theaters starting April 11th.