Warfare

“Look for the blood and the smoke.”

Visceral, intense and immersive, Warfare places you right into the harrowing centre of a high stakes fierce firefight between US forces and insurgent Iraqis that shows the chaos of the fog of war, the precision required to stay alive and the camaraderie that binds during tragedy, but never glorifies the sacrifice and toil that combat has on the soul. 

Discussion Points:

Alex Garland brings Ray Mendoza’s true story to gripping cinematic reality. Told entirely based on first hand accounts and recollections, this visceral recreation of an intense firefight during the Iraq War is brutal and intense. With immersive sound work, and impressive accuracy, Garland and Mendoza have delivered one of the most unflinching war films that captures the chaos of combat and its tense terror. Garland doesn’t comment on the reasons behind the conflict, or editorialise. The squad of soldiers aren’t given back stories or arcs. Instead we meet them in their life altering moment in a pressure cooker set to blow. It’s an ensemble packed with a litany of Hollywood’s current up-and-coming leading men who work together to show the strength of a disciplined unit in the face of unimaginable stress. The cacophonous sound work is absolutely transportive and the tight editing further elevates the immersive experience. Whilst some may wish it was more commentative, it’s clear the film is focused on depicting the incredible efforts of a group of soldiers loyal to each other. Powerful film.