A scene from the movie “Warfare.” Credit: Murray Close/A24 via TNS
Do movies about war need to take a specific moral stance, or is a simple depiction of the events a position in of itself because war is intrinsically horrific?
This is a question that is sure to be raised after watching “Warfare,” the latest film from Alex Garland (“Civil War”), co-directed and written by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza.
Garland and Mendoza, the latter of whom actually lived through the events that “Warfare” presents, pull no punches in their depiction of what it was like to fight in the Iraq War.
The film follows a group of Navy Seals who get pinned in a secure house in Ramadi, Iraq, when a surveillance mission goes wrong, suffering casualties and injuries to several members of their team. The filmmakers prioritize realism in their reenactment of these events, forcing the audience to hear every single explosion, gunshot and wounded scream.
“Warfare” is certainly a visceral, nauseating experience. There is absolutely no glamorization of the actual act of warfare; in fact, special attention is paid to the cold bureaucracy of the higher-ups who watch foot soldiers from afar, reducing human beings to specks on black-and-white thermal monitors.
Mendoza and Garland do, however, emphasize the unbreakable bond of brotherhood shared between the troop members and their unwillingness to leave each other behind, even when it would be more logical to do so.
In fact, the soldiers in “Warfare” — played by an ensemble cast including Will Poulter (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”), Joseph Quinn (“Gladiator II”) and Charles Melton (“May December”) — are in constant tension with logic. Throughout the course of the film, we see them disobey or disregard protocol and predetermined plans, as their sole goal becomes ensuring each other’s survival.
It’s easy to see why logic is thrown out the window when the screams, gunfire and jet engines get so loud that viewers can’t help but plug their ears, whether it be from sheer volume or emotional distress.
The sound design is truly the greatest triumph of “Warfare” — not just the way that these deafening moments are designed, but how the world around it reacts. Children stop laughing and playing in the streets, dogs start barking then fall silent and laughter fades entirely.
Where “Warfare” might fall short of expectations is in acting as a dynamic film with a true story. Fans of Garland’s high-concept work, such as 2018’s “Annihilation” and 2014’s “Ex Machina,” can expect the brutalism and violence they’ve come to associate him with, but will be disappointed to not unravel any of his usual themes.
But maybe this isn’t the point of “Warfare.” At times, it feels more like a documentary bluntly focused on making audiences understand, rather than making them question further. But still, those craving a typical cinematic experience will leave the theater with ringing ears and hollow hearts.
“Warfare” is a white-knuckle experience throughout its tight, 95-minute runtime. The desire to look away from what’s being shown on screen is at constant odds with an inability to do so, both out of a morbid curiosity and a veneration for the real-life soldiers that the movie is based on. There is never a dull moment, even if viewers might crave a respite from the horrors of war.
Rating: 3.5/5
