Directed and written by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation, Civil War) and former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza, Warfare is an intense, no-frills war drama that embeds viewers within the raw, nerve-shredding reality of combat. Based on real memories from Mendoza’s unit, the film follows a platoon of Navy SEALs on a surveillance mission gone sideways in Ramadi, Iraq. What begins as a strategic op quickly devolves into a chaotic fight for survival, told with a commitment to realism that borders on documentary.
This isn’t a story concerned with larger geopolitical messages or moral clarity. Instead, Garland and Mendoza strip away traditional cinematic cues—there’s no score, no heavy-handed narration, no cathartic emotional release. What’s left is something quieter and more harrowing: a moment-by-moment depiction of what it feels like to be caught in the uncertainty of war, remembered through the fragmented lens of memory and trauma.
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Unflinching Realism and a Bold Narrative Approach
What makes Warfare so gripping isn’t just the tension or the authenticity—it’s the way it absolutely refuses to look away. Garland and Mendoza use long, lingering shots that deny viewers the emotional shortcuts we’ve come to expect from war cinema. When a soldier dies, the camera doesn’t cut away. When there’s a lull in the action, we stay with the silence, the sweat, the darting eyes. The in-between moments, the ones most movies skip, become the heart of the film.
There’s also no musical score to manipulate emotion or suggest pacing. Instead, the soundscape is filled with rustling gear, panicked breathing, the distant echo of gunfire. This stark auditory design reinforces the immediacy of the experience—it’s not cinematic, it’s situational. Every moment feels like it could be your last, and the camera’s refusal to release you only tightens the grip.
A Standout Ensemble Grounded in Humanity
The cast, led by Stranger Things breakout Joseph Quinn, is uniformly excellent, each actor fully embodying a soldier who feels lived-in and real. Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, and D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai deliver particularly grounded performances, capturing the different ways trauma and adrenaline manifest under fire. Kit Connor and Michael Gandolfini provide understated but memorable turns, while Charles Melton adds gravitas to the unit’s fraying brotherhood.
There’s no grandstanding, no Oscar-bait speeches—just soldiers communicating in terse code, often without words. The film respects its audience’s intelligence, trusting them to fill in emotional blanks and read the pain etched across each face. It’s a collective performance, not an individual showcase, and that’s entirely fitting for a story about brotherhood forged under fire.
A Film That Prioritizes Feeling Over Plot
While Warfare does have a loose structure—build-up, escalation, fallout—it doesn’t operate like a traditional war thriller. There are no rousing victories or tragic arcs. Instead, it moves in memory fragments: a glance, a cry for help, a decision made too fast. Garland and Mendoza have said the film is based on how things felt in the moment, not just what happened—and that ethos defines every frame.
This approach may frustrate viewers looking for a cleaner narrative, but for those willing to engage with its realism, the film offers a deeply emotional payoff. There is humanity here, quietly burning beneath the surface. In every awkward silence, every shaken breath, every moment of kindness or confusion, Warfare reminds us that these soldiers were people—young, scared, trying to do their jobs.
Final Verdict: A Must-See Masterclass in Modern War Filmmaking
Warfare is not an easy watch, and it’s not meant to be. It asks you to sit in discomfort, to resist the urge to compartmentalize or rationalize. It’s a film of lived-in truth—often ugly, sometimes beautiful, always honest.
Garland and Mendoza have created something rare: a war film with no agenda beyond capturing what it felt like to live through hell. And in doing so, they’ve honored the memories of those who did, while offering audiences a powerful, haunting window into modern conflict.
About “Warfare”
Synopsis: A platoon of Navy SEALs embark on a dangerous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, with the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event.
Director(s): Alex Garland & Ray Mendoza
Writer(s): Alex Garland & Ray Mendoza
Cast: Joseph Quinn, Will Poulter, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Cosmo Jarvis, Aaron Mackenzie, Michael Gandolfini, Kit Connor, Charles Melton
Rated: R
Runtime: 1h 35m
Releases: April 11, 2025
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