Vivid Society NY

by KMR

The A24 film Warfare (2025), co-created by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland, is an intense war drama inspired by Mendoza’s experiences as a U.S. Navy SEAL. It depicts a disastrous 2006 surveillance mission in Ramadi, Iraq, over 95 real-time minutes. Viewers are placed with a Navy SEAL platoon in an Iraqi family’s home, monitoring U.S. forces in a hostile area. Avoiding typical war film tropes like backstories and soundtracks, the movie focuses on the raw elements of combat, camaraderie, and survival.

SPOILERS:

In November 2006, SEAL platoon Alpha One secures a building in Ramadi. Ray Mendoza coordinates air support, while sniper Elliott Miller watches a nearby market. Tensions rise as translators Farid and Noor manage interactions with an Iraqi family. Chaos ensues with a grenade attack causing significant casualties, including Miller losing his leg and voice. Led by Captain Erik, the team fights to survive and escape amidst relentless insurgent gunfire.

Warfare is nothing like your standard Hollywood war film; it doesn’t depend on thematic music to establish tone and mood, nor does it feature any fantastical moments. Instead, it offers a gritty, realistic, and immersive portrayal. This film focuses on the human experience and camaraderie rather than the war itself. The cinematography is stunning, and the acting effectively conveys genuine emotions and palpable tension.

This might just be the best film since Oppenheimer. Like Oppenheimer, the film eschews Hollywood glitter in favor of a raw and powerful narrative, bringing humanity and the weight of history into sharp focus. The frenetic pace delivers a similar, unyielding ride, immersing viewers in a world defined by high stakes and unremitting tension. Warfare piles on action from the very first moments and sustains that intensity for its entire runtime.

10 out of 10

For more information: https://a24films.com/films/warfare

Tags: #A24 #Warfare #DPharaohWoonATai #WillPoulter #CosmoJarvis #JosephQuinn #CharlesMelton #NoahCentineo #MichaelGandolfini #KitConnor #MovieReview #FilmCritique #Cinema #IndieFilm #ActorSpotlight #FilmAnalysis #MovieRecommendations #FilmCommunity #MustWatch #SupportIndieFilm #AlexGarland #RayMendoza