How many great films have come out about the Global War on Terrorism? Zero Dark Thirty, American Sniper, Green Zone, and The Hurt Locker have all been highly commercialized, romanticized, and even idolized. What happens when you take the memories of a group of Navy Seals, a director who was there for the whole attack, and one of the most creative movie studios in history? You get a cinematic masterpiece that will shake you to the core.
Photo from A24/Warfare Instagram
A Trip Down Memory Lane
A24’s Warfare is a master class in taking memories from actual service members and telling the story raw and unfiltered. Warfare takes the memories of a platoon of Navy Seals who set up a temporary outpost in the home of an Iraqi family. During the movie, the team is over-watching the movements of U.S. Forces as they move through insurgent territory. The memories of the platoon members are the basis of the entire movie, which details every moment of a complex coordinated attack on the platoon as they struggle to not only survive, but to keep each other alive and in the fight.
According to A24’s website, Warfare is “A visceral, boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare, told like never before: in real time and based on the memory of the people who lived it.” And that is exactly what it is. It is Visceral, violent, loud, and extremely well made. It is a respectful deep dive using the memories of this team, which has not only turned into a spectacle that everyone should attempt to watch.
IN the battle and on the set
Ray Mendoza, the film’s director and real-life inspiration for the character played by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, served as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller with the SEAL team featured in the story. He co-wrote the film from memory and directed it alongside Alex Garland, aiming to bring a more authentic portrayal of today’s service members.“I feel not seen,” Mendoza said during an interview. “It’s actually embarrassing to watch them – they don’t get our culture right, we don’t speak that way. People have asked, ‘are you worried that Warfare may trigger veterans and active-duty military?’ I think it does the opposite. It’s saying, you’re not forgotten, you are seen. Oftentimes, what is more triggering is seeing what we go through not accurately represented.”
The Silence is Deafening
Another way that this movie keeps you grounded as it plays out is that the movie has no score. Only two songs play during the screening: Call on Me by Eric Prydz, which plays during the intro to the film, and Dancing and Blood by Low. These two songs bookend a very heightened and real experience, and in real life, there is no soundtrack.
“I wanted to bring out this heightened sense,” Mendoza stated about Warfare’s soundscape. “Even when there’s nothing happening, you know something is about to happen, so you’re on the defence. You can hear your hand scratching your hair or a pen on paper, so although it’s quiet, it’s loud.”
Forged in Fire
The cast—Will Poulter, Joseph Quinn, Finn Bennett, and others—seamlessly portray the platoon. Mendoza put them through a three-week boot camp, giving Poulter more autonomy as the Platoon Leader. Like basic training, he gave them impossible tasks to create stress and build trust.
Just my opinion
As an OIF veteran, I can wholeheartedly say that this movie was the closest depiction of what life is like on a mission. During my screening, I had a lot of emotions. There are times when you will feel comfortable and nostalgic, because there is nothing like being deployed with your close teammates. Nothing compares to the bonds that you will forge while in the heat of battle. Also, there are several scenes where you find yourself scanning the cityscape around them, noticing things that they don’t, or even wanting to report because your training was slightly different. I felt every moment of this movie. I also felt very seen.
There are moments when you’re so emotionally locked into the fight that you just want to jump through the screen and help. That’s what it feels like for those back home while their loved one is deployed. You’re powerless, distant, and would do anything to help them get home safe. This movie captures the emotional reality of those who served in one of our most recent wars.
Turning Trauma into Art
It is clear that Mendoza and Garland knew exactly what they were doing when they were making this film. From beginning to end, this film shows what a close-knit group of service members is capable of. You get a brief view of what they are forced to do in a life-or-death situation. I believe this movie will be a bridge for families and for the veterans to share their experiences. Stories like these need to be told. As veterans of war, our stories will help us heal, and they will bring understanding to our families.
A24’s Warfare is an amazing film to watch when you are ready. Some veterans may not be ready to experience the realness of this film, and that is okay. But it is one that families can watch to understand the latest generations of war veterans.
