Film Review: Warfare – A Brutal, Immersive Descent into Combat
A still from the film Warfare directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza (Image credit Warfare posters.
Warfare Movie Review: A Brutal, Immersive Descent into Modern Combat
By S Jha
New Delhi, April 13, 2025: Warfare, directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, is a visceral, real-time portrayal of a 2006 Navy SEAL mission in Ramadi, Iraq, that spirals into chaos.
Based on the memories of Mendoza, a former SEAL who lived through the events, the film strips away Hollywood tropes to deliver a raw, unfiltered look at modern combat.
With a stellar ensemble cast including Will Poulter, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Joseph Quinn, and Kit Connor, Warfare has garnered significant attention for its intensity and realism. Major media outlets have assessed this polarizing war film.
From the opening scene, Warfare plunges viewers into the SEALs’ world with jarring immediacy. The film begins with the squad watching Eric Prydz’s ‘Call on Me’ music video, a fleeting moment of levity that, as Empire notes, “speaks to the economy of it all… swiftly and wordlessly, it shows us how ingrained this group are with one another.”
This camaraderie is palpable, yet the film deliberately avoids fleshing out backstories, a choice that is both refreshing and disorienting. As The New York Times observes, “There is no admirably staged bloodshed or witty repartee. That’s the point.”
The lack of traditional character arcs forces you to focus on the moment-to-moment survival, though it risks leaving some viewers detached.
The film’s greatest strength is its sensory immersion. Shot in real time, it captures the grinding tension of waiting and the explosive terror of combat. Rolling Stone aptly describes it as “war is hell, the film reminds you, while also being kind enough to hold the door for viewers as it ushers them into the scalding heat.”
The sound design is relentless — gunshots, explosions, and screams hit like physical blows. FanBolt calls it “unlike anything I’ve experienced in a theatre… every gunshot, explosion, and panicked breath feels terrifyingly real and raw.”
During one harrowing sequence, the chaos onscreen bleeds into the pulse of the audience. Yet, this intensity can overwhelm, and as IndieWire points out, the film’s “verisimilitude… measured against the ambiguity as to what it hopes to achieve” leaves you questioning its purpose.
Critics are divided on Warfare’s apolitical stance. The Guardian laments its “indifference to political or historical context,” arguing it’s “blandly unaware of a point or a meaning beyond the horror.”
While the film’s focus on raw experience is powerful, it sidesteps the broader implications of the Iraq War, which might frustrate those seeking deeper commentary. Conversely, NPR defends this choice, stating, “Those looking for politics will find it… in the way Garland and Mendoza avoid jingoism and false heroics.”
The film’s refusal to glorify war is evident in its unflinching depiction of suffering — Joseph Quinn’s screams as a wounded soldier are gut-wrenching, a far cry from stoic heroics.
The ensemble cast shines despite limited character development. D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, as Mendoza’s stand-in, conveys quiet resolve, while Kit Connor’s raw performance as a rookie SEAL leaves a lasting impression.
Rotten Tomatoes reports a 91% Certified Fresh rating, with critics praising the film as “one of the most realistic depictions of combat ever.” Yet, some, like Roger Ebert’s site, question “what the larger point is” beyond its visceral impact.
Warfare is a technical marvel, but its narrative sparseness can feel like a void.
Ultimately, Warfare is not a film you enjoy but one you endure. It’s a testament to the SEALs’ courage and a stark reminder of war’s toll, yet its refusal to engage with the “why” leaves one wanting more.
As Common Sense Media puts it, it “manages to do what many others haven’t, which is to portray warfare as a brutal hell while still honouring the brave people who serve.”
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