WARFARE: The First Great Movie of 2025

Informed by the memories of soldiers and even directed by one of the Seals involved in the conflicted, WARFARE is the tense, realistic action film I've been waiting for since Kathryn Bigelow stopped making them several years ago.

One critic said described WARFARE as "a combat movie that refuses to entertain." I completely disagree though I may have a skewed definition of entertainment. From the dreadfully quiet opening to the shocking explosions to the brutal battle to get out alive, the movie is riveting, capturing the attention of all the senses for its entire runtime which plays in the real time of its characters' dangerous mission. Yes, it's harrowing and one of the most intense depictions of war, but it's still a movie... it's main job is to captivate the audience (entertainment) and co-directors Garland/Mendoza do one hell of a job.

I salute their ability to connect us to each one of these characters in a short time and confusing situation. We quickly know the soldiers by name (like we did the marines in ALIENS) and find ourselves drawn into each of their individual experiences. The filmmakers do this with sound as much or more as picture; if WARFARE isn't nominated at the Oscars next year for the effective design of what a battle sounds like and how its combatants hear and don't hear parts of it then that will be further proof the awards don't mean a damn thing anymore.

This is a movie you MUST see on the big screen with 7.1 sound (or better?). I recommend looking at it as an action movie, the best in years, one that draws from real life experience from those who have actually been in action.

Watched at Majestic Theaters in Yakima, WA.

This was also published on my letterboxd account