Warfare
★★★★
Warfare is a visceral experience — imagine the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan stretched into an entire feature, but confined to a single location during the Iraq War. The film centers on a small group of military officers trapped and surrounded by enemy forces, creating a claustrophobic and relentless atmosphere that never lets up.
Though it operates on a smaller scale than most war epics, Warfare loses none of the intensity or emotional weight. Directors Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland deliver a tightly contained story that feels almost theatrical in structure. Yet, despite the limited space, you never lose your bearings. Instead, the film draws you into the same disorienting headspace as the soldiers — panicked, hyper-alert and unsure of what’s coming next.
This isn’t a character study in the traditional sense. While we get brief glimpses into who these men are, the movie is more about experience than personality. It thrusts you into the chaos, demanding that you sit with the soldiers’ fear, confusion and training kicking in under pressure. It’s harrowing, exhausting and effective.
The ensemble cast is exceptional. Will Poulter once again proves why he’s one of the most grounded actors of his generation, and D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai adds grit and authenticity. But the standouts are Joseph Quinn and Cosmo Jarvis. Their performances are raw, desperate and emotionally draining in all the right ways.
Technically, the film is remarkable. The camera work is kinetic but never chaotic, and the sound design is especially immersive — the kind of audio mix that makes you flinch at every bullet ricochet and explosion. You feel the vibrations, the ringing ears, the unrelenting dread of combat.
Still, Warfare won’t be for everyone. It’s intense, narrowly focused and unflinching in its realism. And while it honors the service and bravery of soldiers, it also quietly asks bigger questions — about purpose, sacrifice and the futility of certain missions. By the time the smoke clears, you may find yourself wondering, What was the point?
It’s been years since I watched Black Hawk Down, but that’s the film Warfare most reminds me of — though perhaps this one feels even more personal and more suffocating. It’s not just a war movie; it’s a test of endurance, for both its characters and the audience.
If you can handle the discomfort, Warfare is absolutely worth watching — both for its technical mastery and for the unsettling reflection it forces on what war demands of those who fight it.
