'Warfare' review: Incredibly immersive, thrilling portrayal of war combat
What's the story
The Hollywood film Warfare, written and directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza (former US Navy SEAL), is a war film unlike any other. Technically marvelous, incredibly thrilling, fast-paced, and unbelievably immersive, it tells the story of a brutal, harrowing combat through the soldiers who lived to tell the tale. This rousing movie about the chaos of combat makes for an exhilarating cinematic experience.
Premise
Takes you to a war zone in 2006
The film is set in 2006 Iraq and is based on the harrowing, true experiences of the US Navy SEALs who engaged in combat there. Instead of a full-fledged battle, though, Warfare focuses on one single conflict and follows a crew called Alpha One, which infiltrates a local house to track and attack insurgents in the street. Will every soldier make it out alive?
#1
Feels incredibly real and gritty
Almost throughout its taut runtime, Warfare feels like a documentary instead of a feature because it is incredibly gritty, raw, and brutal. There is little dialogue (mostly the soldiers asking for cover and shouting in unison while responding to their captain), and yet, it never feels bland. Almost every scene punches you in the gut, and it's tough to take your eyes off the screen.
#2
The cinematography and sound design are its biggest strengths
Warfare is a big-screen experience through and through, especially because it makes excellent use of sound in a way that jolts and rattles the viewer. War is brutal, unforgiving, and barbaric, and the film understands this all too well. Each time a character flinched in pain on-screen, I winced too, and whenever a grenade blasted, I tossed uncomfortably in my seat.
#3
Come for the story, stay for the cast
The film has a stacked star cast and features Will Poulter, Joseph Quinn, Kit Connor, Finn Bennett, Noah Centineo, and D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, among others. While this may seem like an overpopulated ensemble, the screenplay allows all of them to shine in their own way, and you easily connect with most characters. Poulter and Woon-A-Tai (Reservation Dogs) particularly awed me with their pitch-perfect performances.
#4
Transports you into its world and keeps you there
There is no background score, and the film is committed to the relentless action, so there's no moment to breathe, neither for the soldiers nor their "enemies." It's almost entirely set in a house, so the tension augments by the minute, and the claustrophobia and feeling of utter helplessness creep up on you. The soldiers' hearts aren't the only ones racing, yours is too.
#5
A bit more dramatization would have helped it a lot
While the film is excellent, it also had the potential to push the envelope a bit more and be truly extraordinary had it focused on deeper, more rounded characterizations. We know nothing about these soldiers beyond their battlefield heroics, and while that's by choice, more dramatic depth would have supported this audacious film even further.
Verdict
Don't miss it! 3.5/5 stars
Warfare is an unflinching look at the cost of war and dissects what truly happens on ground zero—away from political conversations. It's about the lingering shadows of war, and while I would have liked some more focus on the Iraqi populace, Warfare covers solid ground in its slick, fast-paced runtime. Boisterous, propulsive, but also somber and reflective, it's well worth your time. 3.5/5 stars.