I just returned from seeing Warfare and I am exhausted. My adrenaline and heart did not stop pounding during the entire 90 minute runtime. And it is not because it is non-stop action. In fact the writer, director, and actors did a fantastic job showing that Warfare is NOT a live version of Call of Duty. There is a lot of tedium and attention to detail that soldiers need to fight through. Even during the scenes establishing that soldiers spend a lot of time planning and taking notes to ensure they are always ready for whatever comes their way, I was on the edge of my seat. Because that is what makes being a soldier a calling: anything can come their way at any time.
What drew me to this movie? First my wife is awesome and we are both big fans of Black Hawk Down. We have not seen anything like it since, and this seemed like it might be similar. Then, I saw a couple of interviews with some of the actors who I really liked in other roles. After looking at the entire cast, it read as a who's who of up and coming actors. The last time I can remember so many young actors getting together so early in their careers was 1983s The Outsiders.
Here's a roll call of some of the fine young actors featured in Warfare:
Although this movie contained some fantastic young actors, none of them are really allowed to steal any scenes. In fact there really is very little dialogue. And that is ok. This is not meant to be a dialogue driven film.
Perhaps the best way to describe this movie is by explaining what it is not. It is not a typical Hollywood war movie. The normal formula for those is there are some opening scenes where you get to know the main character and the supporting ones. Then you find out what their incredibly important mission will be so you know what outcome you are rooting for. Then there is an opening battle, and some more character development while waiting for the next battle. Finally the soldiers accomplish their goal through some acts of heroism and everyone leaves the theater chanting "USA! USA! USA!".
Warfare has no opening dialogue, there is a very short scene of the young soldiers hooting and hollering while watching a music video. It is just enough to remind you that many soldiers are still kids. Many of them would be at college parties if they had not answered the calling to serve their country.
There is also no explanation of the mission. All we know is that this unit must set up in a home in Iraq in order to support their fellow soldiers who also have missions to which we are not privy. While my wife was annoyed by this fact. I reveled in it. Not every mission is going to swing the balance of a war. Wars are won (although are there really any winners in a war?) by the sum of many seemingly small missions. The fact that we had no idea what the soldiers' goal was actually enhanced this movie for me.
There is no character development. These are soldiers. None is more important than another. They are a team. Every member of the team matters. And every soldier will do whatever it takes to keep their fellow soldiers alive. So I guess that is the mission: keep each other alive.
This movie was also not "written" by a Hollywood writer. The opening scene makes sure we know this is based on the memories of the soldiers. It is also told in real time. This shows what these soldiers had to endure for about 80 minutes of intense warfare. It shows to what lengths each will go to in order to save the soldier next tho them.
All of these ingredients added up to a must-watch film. I have never seen a movie like it before. It reminded me of what soldiers need to endure and how incredible some people are under pressure. It also showed that soldiers are human and different people have different tolerances for that pressure. They are not robots or avatars in a video game. They can get concussed. They can get shell-shocked. They can scream and cry.
There is one more important thing this movie is not. It is not a glorification of war. War has consequences for soldiers and civilians alike. Although it shows the soldiers as heroes who answer the call for their country, it is definitely not recruitment propaganda (like the original Top Gun was).
If you can handle brutal scenes and incredibly loud explosions and gunfire, this move is worth your time. I can't say you will enjoy this movie... as I do not think that is the intention. But you will be moved by it and it will make you think.
