Warfare (2025)
I didn’t really know what to expect from Warfare. Directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, the film has received everything from high praise to righteous condemnation. Mendoza was a part of the SEAL (Naval Sea, Air and Land- a forced acronym) team at the very centre and almost only focus of Warfare’s story. It is a story, now, but a lot of emphasis has been placed on how true it all is by its makers and the soldiers involved. Warfare feels real, devoid of long speeches or sentimentality, and thumping, visceral fire-fights.
You have to put your thoughts on the Iraq war (second one, obviously, the first one was perfectly fine…) to one side. At the end of the day soldiers fight and soldiers die on both sides and this is a story about the US military, by the US military. Lebanon, for example, is a brilliant film about an Israeli tank crew, made by Samuel Maoz, one of that crew. No comment from me on the men involved in the conflicts, they bled and died like everyone else and ultimately we’re here to watch a film.
Side note, see Lebanon and Waltz with Bashir.
Once the team's position is compromised and they have to fight their way out, Warfare is an hour and a half of pulverising, punishing, claustrophobic, captivating, exhilarating insight and yes, entertainment. Ray Mendoza was there, man, but he wouldn’t have made the film if he didn’t think it was an entertaining story to others. Playing out in real time, Warfare is nothing short of exceptional and a concise, in no way sentimental, war film which had me clenching my fists and shoulders with the nerves.
Pure adrenaline, Warfare feels new. I have no doubt it will have many of its elements aped- particularly having no real central "character” (all real people). I want to see what Warfare does for war films, because it is truly astonishing filmmaking. 9/10
FULL METAL JACKET
ONLY THE DEAD
JOURNEY'S END
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
PATTON
BLACK BOOK
Or just type "war" into the search bar on the site, there's loads!
Comments
Post a Comment