Warfare is an intense, tightly focused war film that pulls you into one hellish moment during the Iraq War — and doesn’t let go. Co-directed by Alex Garland and real-life Navy SEAL veteran Ray Mendoza, the film is a blistering, near-real-time reconstruction of a traumatic 2006 firefight, framed not through the lens of politics or traditional drama, but through the memories of Mendoza and those who served with him.
There’s no backstory. No score. No sweeping speeches or emotional monologues. Just a group of soldiers trying to survive a mission gone sideways. The lack of traditional narrative elements may leave some viewers wanting more in terms of character, but that’s not what Warfare is here to deliver. This isn’t about “why” or “how we got here.” It’s about what it felt like to be there — in that time and place, with this particular group of men.
That immersive intent is executed with brutal clarity. Garland and Mendoza’s direction is lean and relentless, with sound design that might just leave your ears ringing. There’s a haunting physicality to it all — the cracked lips, the trembling hands, the chaos of radio comms clashing with agonised screams. A strong ensemble makes up the men attempting to keep it together — body and mind. Among them is Will Poulter, very good as Erik, the Officer in Charge trying to organise and lead as everything falls apart; Cosmo Jarvis, bringing a raw edge to his role as sniper Elliott Miller; and D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, quietly helping anchor the experience with a grounded, internalised performance as Mendoza.
The film’s limitations — no broader context, no insight into the enemy beyond a sniper scope — are part of its DNA. Whether that’s a flaw or a feature will depend on your perspective. It’s a laser-focused piece that strives to replicate the fog of war from one side, not dissect the politics around it. And in that goal, it succeeds.
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While it doesn’t reinvent the genre, Warfare delivers a blistering sensory gut-punch — a tight, relentless descent into one harrowing moment. It’s a lean, hard-edged entry in the “war is hell” canon of cinema.
