Off the back of imagining fictional combat through a journalistic lens in dystopian thriller Civil War, filmmaker Alex Garland has turned his hand to a very real and recent conflict in his latest feature. Sharing the writing and directing credits on this picture is Ray Mendoza, the former U.S. Navy SEAL who has based the script on his own experience and the memories of his comrades. Set in 2006 Iraq, the plot recalls a mission carried out by platoon Alpha One which included Sam (Joseph Quinn), Erik (Will Poulter), Elliott (Cosmo Jarvis) and Mendoza himself, portrayed on-screen by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai. As their plan is severely curtailed by a devastating explosion, they must pull together to survive.
Stories of the US armed forces are often presented in a sensationalised, heavily patriotic, and sentimental manner in cinema, with soldiers portrayed as brave and heroic against sweeping emotional scores. This authentic version of events is almost an antidote to what we’ve come to expect; stripped back and savage in its real-time narrative. Of course there’s a degree of camaraderie, demonstrated in a dance music-infused opening sequence which also works as a neat cultural timestamp to the piece. This light-hearted moment is quickly forgotten though as the young men embark on a dangerous assignment in Ramadi; sound design is expertly crafted to enhance the brutal reality of being in a life and death situation.
Tailored to the hyper realistic style of the craft, the ensemble of performances are reasonably understated. With a cast that’s essentially a who’s who of the industry’s thirty-something talent, it’s good to see such a strong group together on screen. It’s the injured parties that have the most challenging roles, essentially writhing in pain for two thirds of the modest 95 minute runtime. Graphic sequences are very well executed by the directorial duo of Garland and Mendoza, the gory fallout from the enemy blast captured with what appears to be horrific accuracy.
A sobering shift in focus from the typical glorification and glamourisation of the military, Warfare is cinematic anti-war propaganda and about as intimate as films of this genre can be; a gruesomely detailed snapshot of time for Mendoza and his squadron of troops.
Cinema Perspective 