Warfare

A masterclass in tension and sound design. A visceral, gut wrenching, unrelenting war film experience.

This film absolutely deserves an Oscar nod for its sound design, my ears are still ringing, but in the best way possible. It's not for the faint of heart. Rarely has the raw horror of war been depicted with such intensity; I haven't felt this shaken since Saving Private Ryan. The theatrical experience is essential, this soundscape demands a massive screen. The gunfire alone rivals Heat in realism and impact.

Those expecting a conventional narrative should adjust their expectations. This isn't a traditional hero's journey, it's an immersive, boots-on-the-ground depiction of a team navigating a chaotic operation where, even when everything is done right, everything can still go catastrophically wrong.

Watching this, my respect for our military deepened tenfold. The courage it takes to step into such situations is beyond comprehension, and the professionalism of the operators is portrayed with remarkable authenticity. This film didn't just entertain, it inspired me to be a better leader, a better friend.

This is the film I wanted Civil War to be, and I wouldn't be surprised if Alex Garland felt the same. It offered a deeper understanding of PTSD and the brotherhood forged in combat. The emotional and psychological toll is palpable, yet never overplayed.

This is not just a film, it's an experience. I'm already planning to see it again in theaters. I'm genuinely curious if my heart rate ever dropped below 130 bpm. As a filmmaker who dreams of tackling a military story one day, I found this both intimidating and inspiring.

So. Well. Done.

I despise films that glorify war. The swelling strings, the slow-motion salutes, the valour-for-the-sake-of-it nonsense - it's tired and tone-deaf. That's why 'Warfare', the latest and arguably best A24 film I've seen in a long while, floored me. This isn't some patriotic puff piece. It's raw, visceral, and deeply uncomfortable in all the right ways.

Co-directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza (a former Navy SEAL whose real-life experience forms the backbone of the story), 'Warfare' drops you headfirst into the chaos of a mission gone sideways in 2006 Ramadi (Iraq). There's no time for character backstories or emotional flashbacks. You're in the dirt with these men, hearing the crack of gunfire, the ragged breathing, the frantic comms - every heartbeat of the film is felt in your chest. Real war, as this film so powerfully reminds us, isn't medals and glory. It's blood, guts, and a harrowing sense of hopelessness.

The cast - most notably D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Cosmo Jarvis, and Will Poulter - bring a haunting realism to their roles. You don't watch them; you endure alongside them. And that's what elevates 'Warfare' into something more than cinema. It's an experience. A brutal, brilliantly made, and emotionally devastating experience.

Any loss of life in war is a failure - of diplomacy, of leadership, of humanity. This film doesn't flinch from that truth. It holds your gaze and says: look at what we do to each other.

A masterpiece. Uncompromising and unforgettable. If you can, see it in a theatre. The sound design alone is worth the ticket - each echoing explosion and muffled breath immerses you deeper into the dread-soaked trenches of reality. 'Warfare' doesn't just show war. It makes you feel every awful second of it.

Spent 15 years in Army Special Forces. Most of the movie was decent. Cannot believe they did not immediately tourniquet those leg wounds. Screw the blood sweep / stop the bleeding first. Definitely some shell shock there. Tommy seemed to be completely confused and out of it. No one assessed mental capacity after explosions. FAILURE to use the M-79 Grenade launcher was HUGE. That weapon could have done a lot to clear adjacent rooftops instead it stayed in the guy's backpack. When they staged two separate times to evacuate the wounded they came out blazing but you don't see any targets / they're shooting to keep the enemy's heads Down... you DO NOT shoot unless fired upon per se / also the Bradley was taking those second floors ... why didn't they do that on the initial attempt to evacuate ...??

Regarding shooting... ok you return fire WHEN you have a target but if you have no target in your sector - don't fire...

They should have put some personnel atop the roof - that roof seemed to be higher than other roofs and it could have been used to suppress adjacent roof tops

One thing that was missing - the enemy most assuredly would have had RPGs - 110% yet none were fired into the house - they could have lost the entire platoon. RPGs are everywhere so it's sort of disbelieving that the enemy did not use RPGs. I lost two friends on Black Hawk Down - both Delta guys. The one friend .. Timmy Martin ... depicted at the end with Gary Gordon ... my other friend was taken out by an RPG below the waist... unfortunately like the guy in this movie he lost his lower extremity but "lived" for a couple of hours until he basically succumbed to blood loss.

Interesting flick - would have been a bit better with better weapons deployment / leaders doing personnel checks / ammo conservation /. NO TAC AIR is ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS- that should have an absolute guarantee before they went in that they TAC AIR on call. And then they have to get the Brigade CO approval - gimme a break. We once pulled my Heavy Weapons Sergeant from choking our BN CDR to death when he did not provide helo exfil during an exercise in Denmark. It was an exercise but the Sergeant had done three tours in Nam and said you never strand troops in the field after a successful attack in enemy territory..

Movie rating - B to potentially B+

It starts light. Almost like a joke.

Young soldiers, full of swagger, testosterone, and nervous energy, dropped into a foreign neighborhood with gear, guns, and no real plan. You think you know where it's going.

Then it tightens. Hard.

Alex Garland's Warfare isn't a typical war film. It's a mirror. A slow-burn portrait of occupation - show up, seize control, provoke chaos, and leave. It doesn't lecture. It just sits with you. Uncomfortably.

They're foreign soldiers holding civilians in their own home at gunpoint, surrounded by a community trying to push them out. Whether the locals are rescuers or rebels depends on your perspective - and Garland refuses to give you one.

There's no soaring score. No rousing speeches. Just dust, dread, a spectacle of force and the weight of presence. It's not about winning.

It's a loud reflection of the post-9/11 playbook: arrive with guns, destabilize everything, leave behind blood and rubble. Sound familiar?

True "edge of your seat." Think of the tension of the first 15 minutes of "Saving Private Ryan," but over an hour and a half. No spoilers, but I love the fact that the movie immediately drops you into the situation. We don't need to know why the soldiers are there, or what their objective/mission is, because that's irrelevant when the bullets start to fly. These are just soldiers going on a mission. Finally, as a patriotic American, I feel that before Congress & the President deploy any of our U. S. Service people into harms way, they and the CEOs of Raytheon, Blackrock, Vanguard, and Halliburton should be forced to watch this movie, as well as the first 15 minutes of Saving Private Ryan, before anyone is deployed. Also, the law should be passed that all of their children should be the first deployed, call it the "No Fortunate Son" law. I think we would have less wars if that happened.