Verdict: 3/5
When you sit down to watch a film embedded in war themes, the last thing you expect to be met with is the blasting bars of ‘Call on me’ by Eric Prydz. I must admit I had a look around to see if anyone else was confused.
The song cuts to a platoon of soldiers gathered around a laptop watching the song’s suggestive music video. These will be the soldiers we watch for the rest of the movie.
As it turned out, the opening sequence was a winner. It was key in showing the comradery of the soldiers before cutting to the main story.
It is a jarring juxtaposition from the smiles of the platoon to what we see for the rest of the tight, 95 minute movie.
‘Warfare’ is based on writer and director Ray Mendoza’s experience in Iraq as a US Navy SEAL. The movie is a re-enactment of a mission Mendoza and his platoon experienced on November 19, 2006, in the wake of the Battle of Ramadi.
The film exclusively follows the memories and testimonies of the platoon members and is presented in real time. This was a stroke of genius for writer and director duo Mendoza and Alex Garland. From extended periods where the audience is looking through a sniper sight to a surprise IED explosion, the movie shows how something can go from good to bad to worse in a second. It is confronting and gritty and scored by the screams of injured platoon members.
At times it felt like time was moving so slowly and that is because there was so much happening to the soldiers that it had me sitting in my chair thinking, what can I do? It puts you in the scenario in a way that makes the narrative more real.
The issue here is that it doesn’t really have a major plot or story structure. It leaves you pondering ‘why’ this story is being told.
Perhaps that was the point.
On reflection, it is about the thousands of soldiers who everyday go into unknown and dangerous situations that we, the general public, will never know about. It is about the injuries we will never hear of. The people who have lost their lives that we will never know about.
It is about showing in real time what these soldiers deal with every day.
The film is dedicated to platoon member Elliot Miller who lost his leg and voice during the incident.
It puts into perspective that a real person, not a character in a film, was injured, not only from the physical damage from the event but also the emotional trauma they no doubt deal with every day after.
See this movie at Hoyts Penrith.
Emily Chate
Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024, and covers local news - primarily courts and politics. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist.