In the Trenches with Warfare (2025): Realism Over Storytelling
- Dan Brooks
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
A platoon of Navy SEALs embark on a dangerous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, with the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be thrust into the chaotic belly of war with a bunch of strangers, scrambling to make sense of the madness while your best chance of survival is based on instinct, grit, and keeping your head down—then "Warfare" is your cinematic dream come true. Actually, scratch that—it’s a nightmare. A nightmare you can’t wake up from, where every moment is one long, harrowing descent into the vortex of battle. But hey, at least it doesn’t sugarcoat anything.
Let’s Talk Cast:
The film stars D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, and Cosmo Jarvis, a trio of actors who, while not exactly household names (yet), do an admirable job of making you forget that you’re watching a movie and not some real-life, feverish documentary shot on a battlefield. They play Navy SEALs—warriors in the literal sense—trudging through a firefight in Ramadi, Iraq. The premise is simple: a squad of SEALs embarks on a dangerous mission, and the war chaos is seen through their memories of the event.
But don’t expect a standard “Heroes vs. Villains” plotline where good triumphs over evil, or where you get to high-five your favorite actors for their valor. Nope, in Warfare, the victory is survival, and the villains? Well, they’re not wearing uniforms or flying flags.
What’s Good About This Film?
Let’s start with what’s great about Warfare. One word: realism. The fighting scenes are so visceral, you’ll be holding onto the edge of your seat as if you were about to get ambushed yourself. The chaos after the platoon is attacked feels palpable. There’s no over-the-top Hollywood choreography here—just the heart-pounding, frenzied pace of real combat. If there was ever a movie to make you reconsider getting involved in anything that remotely resembles war, Warfare might be it.
And then there’s the cinematography. Holy hell, it’s tremendous. It’s not often that a film pulls you into the battle like this one does. You feel like you’re standing right there next to these soldiers, feeling the tension as bullets whiz by, explosions shake the earth beneath your feet, and your heart rate spikes with each incoming threat. The camera doesn’t just show you the action—it simmers in it, leaving you trapped in the emotional and sensory overload of modern combat.
Plus, the acting is about as believable as it gets. Woon-A-Tai, Poulter, and Jarvis—this is some of their finest work. They sell the turmoil and camaraderie of a tight-knit military unit on a mission they know is likely to go south. You get a real sense of brotherhood and fear, and the fleeting moments of humanity that they cling to while surrounded by carnage. You almost wish you knew more about these characters. Which brings us to the movie’s glaring flaw.
What’s Not So Great About This Film?
If you’re the type who needs your war movies to have backstories and character arcs that make you care about the fate of the protagonists, Warfare might not be your cup of tea. Don’t get me wrong—the film nails the chaos and the moral uncertainty of battle. But I could’ve used a little more in terms of character development. I found myself wishing for a bit more context, some backstory on these soldiers. What led them to this point? What’s going on in their minds as they plow through all this madness? Maybe a flashback or two? Just a little something to make me care when things inevitably start falling apart. Instead, it feels like we’re just along for the ride with a bunch of soldiers who are barely more than cogs in the war machine.
Which brings us to another issue: there’s no real story being told here. It’s almost as if the movie was more interested in showing you the brutality of combat than crafting a narrative. And that’s fine if you’re trying to make a point about the futility and destruction of war. But here’s the problem—without a strong storyline or any clear message to latch onto, the movie starts to feel like a random series of events happening with little purpose. Sure, we’re supposed to be experiencing the chaos of war through the eyes of these soldiers, but that’s a tough sell when the stakes are left entirely up to the audience’s interpretation. What’s the takeaway? That war is a mess? That’s hardly groundbreaking.
And let’s talk about the soundtrack—or rather, the lack of one. I get it: the absence of music during certain tense moments is supposed to heighten the tension and make everything feel more real. But after a while, the silence starts to feel... empty. As if someone forgot to add the sound effects after filming. Sure, there’s some ambient noise and chaos, but a bit of musical depth could’ve gone a long way in making these scenes feel less like an experimental art piece and more like a war movie with a purpose.
The Intentions Behind Warfare:
Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s goal was clear—they didn’t want to glorify the heroics of war, or spin a nationalistic yarn about fighting for freedom. Instead, they aimed to give audiences an unfiltered look at the sensory—and moral—maelstrom of modern combat. It’s not about patriotism or celebrating soldiers; it’s about showing the psychological toll of warfare, the contradictions of the human experience in the chaos of battle, and the raw, uncomfortable reality of conflict. Warfare strips away the usual war movie tropes—no speeches about courage, no dramatic slow-motion shots of soldiers running towards explosions. The movie cuts to the chase and lets the chaos of war speak for itself.
If you’re a veteran, you might find this film resonates with you on a deeper level, especially since it’s filled with military jargon and real-life combat scenarios—something that Garland and Mendoza clearly crafted for their brothers in arms. Time Magazine even noted that the film was designed to spark a dialogue between civilians and veterans about the emotional cost of war. This isn’t just a film for entertainment—it’s a conversation starter.
The Verdict:
In the end, Warfare is a bold, uncompromising dive into the brutal realities of war, but it’s also a movie that struggles to fully engage you emotionally. Without a central story, and without fully fleshed-out characters, it leaves you yearning for something deeper. So, while it’s an intense ride, it’s not one that will stick with you in a meaningful way. But maybe that’s the point—it’s not about the story; it’s about the experience.
So, my rating? A solid 7.1/10.
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