WARFARE -- A True War Story Told in Real-Time

Review by Camden Ferrell

In 2024, Alex Garland wrote and directed Civil War where he worked with military advisor Ray Mendoza. That same year, Garland announced that he would step down from directing and that his newest movie Warfare would be his last, and that it would be co-written and directed by Mendoza. This movie is based on Mendoza’s experiences as a Navy SEAL during the Iraq War in 2006. Told in real time, this movie can sometimes drag and lack nuance, but it still features some genuinely nerve-wracking and intense moments of military combat that will keep you engaged.
 
A platoon of servicemembers are in Iraq on a mission when chaos erupts on the scene. From here, the audience is taken through a real-time portrayal of all the events that unfolded as they deal with life-threatening perils and the horrors of combat. It’s a story that’s intentionally limited in scope, and it’s one that aims to be realistic, not necessarily cinematic. Thus, it’s working with narrative limitations that can make it feel less than substantial at times.
 
Written by Mendoza and Garland, it definitely dives into realism more than anything. Not just in its violent and intense moments, but also in the minutiae of daily life for this platoon. It’s a neat aspect that’s written, but it’s also one that makes the movie feel like it takes its time before the ball gets rolling. While it’s a necessary build up, it’s one that feels like it eats up more runtime than it should. Once the danger starts though, the script takes a backseat to the violence at hand, so it doesn’t have a chance to shine outside of a handful of emotional beats for specific characters.

The movie is brought to life by a who’s who of the next generation of actors. This includes actors like Will Poulter, Joseph Quinn, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Michael Gandolfini, and Charles Melton to name a few. This ensemble plays very well off of each other, and in a Q&A I attended, they mentioned that they spent weeks in a simulated boot camp where they could bond with each other and push themselves to truly get into these roles. Their moments of camaraderie are emboldened by the prevalent moments of fear and pain.
 
While the movie has some pacing problems, it absolutely excels in immersing viewers into the stresses of warfare. Its real-time approach prevents viewers from getting a chance to cut away from the action and breathe. If the platoon is suffocating under the fear of death and debilitating injury, the audience does not get the luxury of looking away. It’s a bold approach, and it’s one the lifts the film above its shortcomings.
 
Warfare is an ambitious project that tries to recreate the real events that occurred to a platoon almost two decades ago, and it works more than it doesn’t. It has some problems tackling some of the more nuanced issues of war, but it’s a flaw that is mostly forgivable by the good intentions of its director. Fans of war movies and general audiences alike will find something to appreciate in this film, whether it’s the visceral performances or the quite often impressive craftsmanship on display.
 
Warfare is in theaters April 11.
 
Rating: 3.5/5