April 10, 2025
by Carla Hay
Directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza
Culture Representation: Taking place in Ramadi, Iraq, on November 25, 2006, the action film “Warfare” features a predominantly white and Middle Eastern group of people (with some Latin people, African Americans, Asians and one Native American) representing both sides of the United States-Iraq War.
Culture Clash: Several U.S. Navy SEAL members are trapped inside a house by enemies and must fight their way out to safety.
Culture Audience: “Warfare” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of the movie’s headliners and realistic war movies.
“Warfare” gives a brutal and intense dramatic recreation of a real-life Navy SEAL combat and rescue mission that took place in Iraq in 2006. The real-time narrative and exceptional sound design increase the tension for this unique war movie. “Warfare” is not a film that is easily forgotten. Sensitive viewers be warned: The movie is very graphic in the violence, injuries and psychological trauma that can occur during combat.
“Warfare” was written and directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, a real-life Iraq War veteran. Mendoza’s memories and the memories of many of his former Navy SEAL comrades are the basis of what is shown in the movie. This is not a film that takes its time for viewers to get to know the participants. “Warfare” (which clocks in at 95 minutes) is very much a “snapshot” film offers a glimpse into a short but very intense period of time in the lives of the protagonists in the movie.
“Warfare”takes place on November 25, 2006, during two Navy SEAL operations in Ramadi, Iraq. The movie begins with a joyful scene of camaraderie among the approximately 20 young Navy SEALs who are gathered ina room during some down time. They are watching the music video for Eric Prydz’s 2004 hit song “Call on Me,” which features a 1980s-styled aerobics workout of women in skin-tight exercise outfits gyrating with one man in the room.
The Navy SEALs whoop, holler, and start bopping along to the music. It’s the closest thing that this group has to a fraternity party. In interviews, Mendoza says that this type of activity was a ritual for him and his squad members to help them relax and enjoy time together before going into combat. Unfortunately, for the squad in “Warfare,” this happiness is short-lived.
The squad members are shown doing a quiet invasion of a house where a civilian Iraqi family lives. The family is held captive (but are not harmed) in a bedroom while the Navy SEAL squad members use the home as a stakeout building. The squad members are accompanied by two Iraqi scouts—Sidar (played by Heider Ali) and Farid (played by Nathan Altai)—who are language translators. Their hiding place won’t be a secret for long. A bomb goes off, and the squad members quickly figure out that they are surrounded by enemy soldiers.
Once the combat begins in “Warfare,” it doesn’t really let up. Viewers won’t really find out much about the personal backgrounds of each of the characters, but glimpses of their personalities are show during these harrowing war scenes. Some viewers might think this lack of information makes the characters too generic or vague.
Erik (played by Will Poulter) is the officer in charge of the first Ramadi operation. Erik prides himself on staying calm in situations where other people are panicking. His stoicism is tested when he starts to mentally unravel as the group is under siege and backup help is delayed.
Sam (played by Joseph Quinn) is seriously injured during the battle. After the bomb blast, Sam wakes up to see that his right leg is inflames. Getting him to emergency medical care is one of the motivations for the squad to get out and get help as soon as possible.
Ray Mendoza (played by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai) is a reliable communications officer who often has to fight the panic that sometimes overtakes him. He’s very loyal to his squad members and can ultmately be counted on to help as much as he can. Elliott (played by Cosmo Jarvis) is a wisecracking sniper/medica who becomes severely wounded.
Tommy (played by Kit Connor) is a rookie who sometimes gets teased by other squad members, including Lt. Macdonald (played by Michael Gandolfini), who also gets wounded in combat. Jake Wayne (played by Charles Melton), who can think logically under high pressure, is the officer in charge of the second Ramadi operation depicted in the movie. Jake steps up into a leadership role when Erik starts to mentally fall apart. Some other members of the squad include gunner Brian (played by Noah Centineo), communications officer John (played by Finn Bennett), sniper Brock (played by Evan Holtzman), point man Aaron (played by Henrique Zaga), sniper Frank (played by Taylor John Smith) and Sgt. Laerrus (played by Adain Bradley).
“Warfare” shows in unflinching ways how split-second decisions can mean the difference between life and death. And these decisions are often be based on hunches or guesses because those are the only options. Perhaps the only minor criticism about “Warfare” is that almost all of these Navy SEALs in the movie are unrealistically physically attractive. There isn’t an “ugly” one in the bunch. Even though a lot of the movie’s Navy SEALs look like Hollywood actors, the cast members’ performances are admirable and do justice to the real people involved.
A24 will release “Warfare” in U.S cinemas on April 11, 2025. A sneak preview of the movie was shown in U.S. cinemas on April 7 and April 9, 2025.
