Review: Warfare

Synopsis: Written and directed by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland (Civil War, 28 Days Later), Warfare embeds audiences with a platoon of American Navy SEALs in the home of an Iraqi family, overwatching the movement of US forces through insurgent territory. A visceral, boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare, told like never before: in real time and based on the memory of the people who lived it.

What We Thought:

Warfare is a visceral gut-punch to the senses. It is the Black Hawk Down for the Global War on Terror (GWOT). If you thought the Normandy scenes in Saving Private Ryan or the mountain fall in Lone Survivor were intense then you’ll love Warfare.

The film is from Alex Garland, but also from Ray Mendoza, a Navy SEAL turned filmmaker. The shootout in the film is based on a real event with those involved telling their story through their memories. It has a fantastic young cast including Will Poulter, Joseph Quinn, Kit Connor, Michael Gandolfini, Noah Centineo and Charles Melton. Despite being actors, they bring a heightened sense of realism to the film because Mendoza was there and wanted it to feel authentic. I’m curious to see how veterans handle the film because of its intensity.

It follows, in real-time, a platoon of Navy SEALs in November 2006 during the final stages of the Battle of Ramadi. Half of the platoon takes an apartment to do recon on a building across the street. When their cover is blown the insurgents attack wounding some SEALs who call in an evacuation. An IED is set off and the men must defend themselves while the rest of the platoon come to get them.

I saw the film in a Dolby theater and when the IED goes off the entire room shook. The explosions and gun battles bombarded my ears and you feel the entire battle. Mendoza made a film to show an audience what it feels like in that situation. The actors use proper terminology like stack and moving which brings even more authenticity. The film is relatively quick so it jumps right into the action and never lets its foot off the pedal until the event is concluded. It doesn’t give the audience time to breathe because these men didn’t have the time either.

Warfare should easily stay in my top 10 for 2025. I would have watched it again immediately afterwards if I could have. This is the second A24 film in a row that not only did I love, but thought Will Poulter was fantastic in. I’m not sure what it will do at the box office and I expect half the crowd to high five afterwards and the other half to walk out with PTSD. I can’t wait to see what Mendoza does next.