What it’s about
It’s 2006 in war-torn Iraq. Under the leadership of officer Erik (Poulter), a Navy Seals team is assigned to provide cover and surveillance for an operation in the residential section of Ramadi. They take over the main floor of a family apartment, with sniper Elliott (Jarvis) in position. They spot suspicious activity across the street, but have little time to react before all hell breaks loose.
Why we love it
Alex Garland (“Civil War”) and Ray Mendoza collaborated on both script and direction, with the story based on Mendoza’s own combat experiences. With unnerving immediacy, the film recreates not only the random violence of war, but all the tension and tedium that precedes it. The cast excels, with actor Woon-A-Tai particularly memorable as Mendoza, but really we never get to know any of them as characters. They’re like chess figures strategically moved around a board. But today they’ll be outplayed. When the battle finally erupts, it gets bloody and graphic very fast, so the squeamish should take note. For hardier souls, “Warfare” is the real thing.