Warfare is the latest A24 film by Alex Garland. This time, he co-wrote and co-directed it with Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza. Based on the true experience Mendoza went through during that time period, it follows a group of American Navy SEALs on a surveillance mission, but something goes wrong, and now they have to survive. When you first hear about the premise, you feel like you've seen it many times before. This is very different. Without a doubt, it is one of the most gritty and brutal war films ever made. War is ugly, and that's the main thing you should take away from it. There is nothing pleasant about being on the battlefield.
Not your typical war movie. As mentioned in the intro, this is not what you would expect it to be. If you have watched the trailer and thought it's a crowd-pleasing popcorn blockbuster action flick, that ain't it. It truly depicts the harsh and painful reality of what it's like to be in that situation. When they're in combat and survival mode, you feel like you're there in the war with them. The filmmakers perfectly establish the tone and atmosphere from the get-go. There's tension from start to finish, and you're always locked in. You're constantly on the edge of your seat, especially during some really intense and painful scenes. There are times you will feel incredibly devastated because it can be hard to watch. Since Mendoza has been through this era, it does feel like a personal and emotional journey to revisit this memory from his past. Also, the sound design is impeccable. If you're seeing this on the big screen, the surround sound is guaranteed to provide you with a very immersive cinematic experience.
Fight for survival. The cast is stacked, and everyone does an amazing job. When you have insanely talented actors like D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Finn Bennett, Joseph Quinn, and Charles Melton, you know you're in for something unique and special. Character development isn't really in this film, which might irritate some moviegoers. Everyone is pretty much more or less the same in terms of personality, but it doesn't change the fact that they still make you care about their lives. This must have been a tough and challenging project for them, but they deliver some phenomenal performances.
Warfare is a brutal portrayal of war with raw emotions and gritty realism. Garland and Mendoza have made something incredibly powerful about the trauma of war. It will leave you speechless.
