“Why?”
An innocent bystander uttered this line repeatedly while watching horrible events unfold during the final act of “Warfare,” the latest film distributed by A24.
It is also a question critics have asked approaching the film’s release, challenging whether the story should be told through a cinematic production.
“Warfare,” directed by former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza and author Alex Garland, follows the true story of an operation Mendoza took part in while deployed in Iraq in 2006. However, the characters are given fictional aliases, aside from Mendoza portrayed by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, and Elliot Miller portrayed by Cosmo Jarvis. Other notable cast members include Joseph Quinn, Charles Melton, Will Poulter, Kit Connor and Noah Centineo.
From its opening moments, the film immerses viewers in the lives of these soldiers. Their backstories and often their names are not given. We are simply presented the actions of the mission that left them trapped together in a home in enemy territory.
The film depicts the events precisely as they happened within its 90-minute run time minus the bells and whistles that have plagued most films of the genre, such as the cliche of tragic backstories.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with this premise, the film’s marketing tactics were questionable and, in many cases, downright insulting, leading to assumptions that the film did not have much more to say than “war happens sometimes.”
The marketing featured the all-star cast taking part in activities that can only be described as tone deaf, given the context of the film they are representing. The press tour included the cast getting matching tattoos and proudly showing them off in a playful photo-op as well as a handful of distasteful photo shoots.
For these reasons, I had mixed feelings going into the film and found it hard to imagine the film would be anything more than a display of Garland’s technical prowess. Marketing aside, “Warfare” proved itself to me as not only a good film but a striking condemnation of the industrial military complex and the concept of war entirely.
The shot selection and immaculate sound design work in tandem to create a heart-pounding and immersive theatrical experience. The brutality of war is on full display with little to no attempt to either elevate or disparage the actions of those involved, letting them speak for themselves.
The performances are exemplary across the board, with Quinn offering a particularly haunting performance. Despite the controversy surrounding its press tour, the film shows no signs of lacking awareness of the toll that war takes.
While not much is presented in regards to characterization or thematic ideas, this lack of a real message is the message itself. War is often meaningless and cruel, showcasing the worst that humanity has to offer.
“Warfare” is now playing in theaters worldwide.
