Another war movie well worth your time.
“Warfare” is the first collaboration between Alex Garland and a real-life former Navy SEAL named Ray Mendoza, as they both write and direct Mendoza’s memories in November 2006 during the final stages of the Battle of Ramadi. They show us a platoon of Navy SEALS in dangerous territory, and most of them are given fake names in the film, as the rest didn’t go public with their real identities. Mendoza, who was the communicator, and Elliot Miller, the lead sniper, are the only names the film uses. And as the film closes, we see a lot of the real soldiers’ faces blurred
As I’m watching “Warfare,” I’m acknowledging that war movies set in any time period show us the fears and courage of soldiers, the violence and gore brought on by shootings and bomb explosions, and moments of near silence. Thus, reminding me of the famous Tom Hanks silence scene in “Saving Private Ryan,” some of the best and most gripping moments in “The Hurt Locker,” how Garland directed “Civil War,” which uses soldiers, guns, and code words to get through anything, and the time length of “Dunkirk,” which was around 90 minutes long. So, it all keeps us watching.
The actors who play the soldiers include D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai (“Reservation Dogs”) as Mendoza, Will Poulter as Erik the Officer in Charge, Cosmo Jarvis as Miller, Joseph Quinn as Sam the leading Petty Officer, Kit Connor as Tommy the gunner, Michael Gandolfini as LT McDonald the FSO, and Charles Melton as Jake the Assistant Officer in Charge. And they’re divided into two teams: Alpha One and Alpha Two.
It’s one of those war movies with a lot of actors, and so much going on that you can’t focus on all of them. But the movie should be more concerned about getting these men out of dangerous territory alive, and it is. Just like “Dunkirk.” We don’t know from all angles of different wars, but we do like to acknowledge them.
There are loud noises like one of the soldiers screaming at his bloody injured legs, which can be too much for me, as I don’t like loud nosies in certain areas. It’s not the movie; it’s me. There are also graphic scenes like the aftermath of one of the soldiers being ripped in half following an explosion, but I’m sure you’ve seen carnage in many other war movies before. And there are a lot of thrills and dangers to keep us watching, but the movie chooses not to be mindless or Michael Bay-directed. I’m talking, of course, about how he made “13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi,” which had the potential to be good, but ended up missing the mark.
War movies come in different forms from different angles. Sometimes, they can serve as history lessons, and other times, they can value as entertainment. There are a lot of comparisons within the genre, based on the director’s methods, narrative and character development. And from my standpoint, I think Garland and Mendoza have chemistry, because of how the acclaimed filmmaker helps the former Navy SEAL represent his memories, and yet he never overexploits them. And the film looks great with the cinematography by David J. Thompson and editing by Fin Oates.
I watched “Warfare” in IMAX last night, and I could see the vibrations of the shootings and the surround sounds of the dialogue and dangers that emerge. Come to think of it, I did see “Civil War” in IMAX last year, and I remember being at the edge of my seat. That film depicts what the future may unfold if we keep up with this violence; this one reflects on memories of violence. At least that’s how I’m seeing these films.
