A24’s latest film is a brilliant collaboration between writers and directors Alex Garland (Civil War, Annihilation) and Ray Mendoza, this being Mendoza’s feature film debut. Warfare tells the true story of a platoon of Navy SEALs on a mission in Iraq in 2006. Embedded in a house, the platoon finds themselves under attack in a fight for their lives.

I will be the first to admit I typically don’t enjoy films about war or the military, unless it has a stylized or horror spin. Warfare is the exception. What immediately sets Warfare apart from other wartime films is that the entire plot comes from Mendoza’s memories as a Navy SEAL during the Iraq War. Shot entirely in real-time, the film follows Alpha Team as they take shelter in an Iraqi home to watch a local building for insurgent activity. When their position is discovered, Team Alpha enters the fight of their lives. Each passing moment makes the situation more dire, with members of their team horrifically wounded in the process.

Garland and Mendoza make a great filmmaking team. With this film, they create a horrifying, immersive experience that places the audience in the middle of a war. What’s more, Warfare is one of the few military films that focuses solely on the fight for survival, rather than telling a hero’s story. It allows for a focus on the senselessness of the war these young men were thrust into, as well as how these military actions left innocent Iraqi citizens to clean up the mess left behind by the US. It doesn’t shy away from the hard truths, leading to a tension-filled ending, but one that ends rather abruptly. Some audiences might wish for a more traditional ending, but Warfare is not a traditional film.

The young men starring in Warfare clearly gave everything they had to bring these real-life people to the big screen. The cast went through vigorous training, much like that of a real bootcamp, to ensure their military movements became second nature. This also likely bonded the actors to create an authentic sense of brotherhood, which comes through on screen. While every actor is outstanding, there are a few standouts. D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (Reservation Dogs, Hell of a Summer) portrays writer and director Ray Mendoza. Woon-A-Tai has a quality that easily endears the audience to him, making Ray’s determination to save his friends all the more powerful to watch. Will Poulter (The Maze Runner, Death of a Unicorn) plays the team lead, Erik. Poulter is great at maintaining a stoic sense of calm in this role, ensuring he has control of the situation and his men at the expense of his health. Then there is Cosmo Jarvis (Lady Macbeth, Shōgun) as Elliott and Jospeh Quinn (Stranger Things, A Quiet Place: Day One) as Sam. Both Jarvis and Quinn bring to life soldiers who are highly skilled, but their performances really stand out after they both suffer life-threatening injuries.

The events being told and the performances are fantastic, but it’s the technical side of Warfare that makes it a true filmmaking achievement. Because the film takes place almost entirely in one home on one street, Garland and Mendoza opted to build the Iraqi setting from scratch. It’s wonderfully done by the production designers, easily transporting the audience to a different country. To make the space feel bigger, overhead infrared images are shown to display the streets around the platoon and the heat signatures of both friend and foe. There is also plenty of shocking practical effects. Between gunshots, IEDs, and grenades, some of the soldiers suffer gruesome wounds that look all too real on screen. The crowning achievement of Warfare is the sound design. To keep the authenticity of the film, there is no score. Instead, the focus is on the terrifying sounds of war including gunfire, explosions, screams of the wounded, and so much more. War is loud, just like the film.

Warfare is an immersive, authentic wartime film that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Garland and Mendoza don’t hold back as they thrust audiences in a single battle of the Iraq War, showcasing the horrors experienced by the troops. Everything from the visuals to the soundscape to the performances highlights the disturbing reality of war and the filmmakers’ dedication to creating a film as close to reality as possible. Each cast member is truly incredible, with Woon-A-Tai proving his star power and making sure audiences will take notice of his future career. Be sure to see Warfare in theaters, especially IMAX screens, beginning April 11th for an explosive, white-knuckle ride you won’t soon forget.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10