A platoon of Navy SEALs embark on a dangerous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, with the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event.
Chuck says:
In an interview with critic Gene Siskel, French director Francois Truffaut once stated, “Some films claim to be antiwar, but I don’t think I’ve really seen an antiwar film. Every film about war ends up being pro-war.” His reasoning was that no matter how you portray it, there’s a dramatic element to these films that can’t help but be seductive.
There have been many attempts to disprove Truffaut’s sentiment to varing degrees of success. Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s “Warfare” succeeds in driving home this message better than most. That the movie was based on a real incident helps. The fact Mendoza was in the skirmish portrayed, even more so.
Concerning a 2006 mission in Ramadan during the Iraq War that goes horribly awry, the filmmakers embed the viewer with a group of young soldiers. Taking place in real time, we see these men – some barely old enough to shave – making the necessary preparations for their mission, which is a relatively simple one. This sniper unit is to make sure the urban area they’re in is cleared and safe, so a larger ground unit can come through later.
We see them taking various positions throughout a house they’ve taken- the poor family living there, held against their will – securing the two levels and basement area. They rib one another, check their weapons, and fight the tedium that tempts them to let their guard down. However, as prepared as they are, they overlook a blind spot that leaves them vulnerable and in the blink of an eye, they find themselves on defense, in a rapidly devolving situation.
Told in real time, Garland and Mendoza don’t spend any time going into depth where the background of any of the characters are concerned. We get to know them through their actions and responses to the hell they suddenly find themselves in. While this may seem a counterintuitive approach towards getting us to empathize with them, the opposite occurs thanks to the immersive nature of the film and the solid cast, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Michael Gandolfini, Adain Bradley, and Charles Melton, being standouts.
Using handheld cameras, the directors put the viewer in the middle of the horror that unfolds. Nothing is held back regarding the extent of the injuries some of these young men suffer nor the responses they have to the violence that surrounds them. There are acts of bravery and displays of bravado, but more importantly moments of doubt and fear.
This is as far from a jingoistic war film imaginable. No sides are taken, no justifications are given. Most striking is the portrayal of how young these men are. While we’re aware we ask them to put themselves in harm’s way, being aware of this and seeing it play out are vastly different things. And while this is not a documentary, Mendoza’s involvement speaks to the validity of what he’s sharing.
In the end, it’s obvious the intent of the movie is to raise awareness. Unless we’ve been in their shoes, none of us know the pain and damage any veteran has experienced. Mendoza and Garland’s purpose is to validate the sacrifice these soldiers have made, to inform the rest of us of the true nature of what they endure and open a dialogue regarding these veterans’ needs. As such, the release of this film couldn’t be timelier, what with VA services being drastically and maliciously cut. “Warfare” should be required viewing for anyone who’s said, “Thank you for your service,” to a soldier, an obligatory phrase that’s often uttered without knowing the true cost these men and women have foregone.
3 1/2 Stars
