By: Hunter Montroy

Written & Directed by: Ray Mendoza & Alex Garland

Starring: D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Kitt Connor, Joseph Quinn, Finn Bennett, Michael Gandolfini

There isn’t a whole lot to say about Warfare—at least for me. I left the theater feeling content, having gotten pretty much exactly what I expected. The film follows a platoon of Navy SEALs on a surveillance mission, only to be slowly preyed upon by hostile forces. From there, the platoon descends into hell and fights for their lives to survive.

Warfare doesn’t really have much to say. There’s no strong message that comes through, at least not overtly. If anything, it’s just another take on the classic “War is Hell” theme by the time the credits roll. The entire film is set almost entirely inside a two-story apartment building in Iraq, on November 19, 2006. It opens with the entire platoon watching the music video for Eric Prydz’s Call on Me, and then transitions into them infiltrating the town under cover of night. The first 20 minutes or so are dedicated to showing the mundane nature of an operation like this—just sitting around and surveilling. Nothing fancy, just boring. Tension gradually builds as several Iraqi men keep getting spotted, “peeking with serious intent to probe.”

Then, in the blink of an eye, all hell breaks loose. Chaos erupts, and each soldier begins their descent into adrenaline-fueled violence. Warfare doesn’t shy away from the gruesome injuries or deaths either. Two characters are severely wounded, and during their retreat back to their holdout, one soldier—clearly in pain and shock—screams nonstop for several minutes. The moment suffocates the audience in pure, uncomfortable tension, hammering home just how messed up things have become. At one point, a character mutters, “I’m fucked up,” and that line perfectly captures the state of mind of everyone in the platoon.

I saw this in IMAX, and it was LOUD. A couple of times, the platoon calls in a “show of force” which consists of a jet, likely an F-16, flying in low to intimidate the surrounding Iraqi forces. It just about popped my eardrums. The gunfire, the explosions, the screaming all felt like I was in the same room. I don’t remember there being a traditional score either, which leaves you stuck in the moment, experiencing everything right alongside the characters.

I liked Warfare. I’d even say I quite liked it. It’s an entertaining film, no doubt. But knowing that it’s based on the real experiences of the soldiers—co-directed by one of the original SEALs—gives it this heavy, tension-driven tone throughout. That’s mostly all you’ll get from the film, and honestly, I think that’s all it’s trying to do. Whether that helps or hurts it depends on the viewer, but for me, it works both ways. I’m glad I saw it, but that’s that. I don’t have a ton to say about it. It’s a war film, written and directed by Ray Mendoza (and Alex Garland), who lived through what’s being shown. It’s simply a retelling of that experience—and nothing more.

Final Score: 7/10