Warfare

One of the biggest blind spots I have in the film medium is the subgenre of war films. I’ve never found a particular interest in them and often struggle to see why people enjoy them. Action-wise, I have little to no interest in the combat that goes on in these films, and they’ve never thematically resonated with me. I find that war films often glamourize and sensationalize war in a way that has always rubbed me wrong. While most of these stories are told in a position that’s anti-war, I have never felt the message outshine the “epic” action that’s happening on screen. At its best, the discussion around the subgenre has always been more interesting to me than the actual films themselves. These discussions normally center around the question of whether or not films can be anti-war while still being entertaining and enjoyable. It’s safe to say that these discussions will keep happening in the future, and I think the newest war film I watched this month actually encourages these discussions in a way that feels natural and healthy. 

Warfare, directed by and written by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza, is a war film that puts a microscope on one of Mendoza’s war memories. The film is depicted as real as possible, and stuck strictly to the story that Mendoza experienced/remembered during his time in the Iraq War. The setting is contained inside of a home somewhere in the towns of Iraq which creates a great natural tension in the air as we spend the next hour-thirty with this young army squad. It’s immersive, intimate, and unnerving while providing the audience space to think on the situation that they’re shown and how that situation is shown. 

There are no grand battles, epic slaughters, or triumphant moments in this film. Rather, we spend every aching moment with this crew as we watch their situation spiral into something they struggle to handle. They may be soldiers at war, but the battles they go on independently are just as hard as the one they’re on as a team. While the film depicts war in a way that's immersive and sensational, it also feels gruesome and maddening rather than grand or epic. 

Chaos ensues as the story moves forward and there is no time for the audience to get accustomed to the war dialogue, soldier ranking, or the mission at hand. There’s a level of frantic panic that settles under your skin as you watch it, and only gets more overwhelming as you keep watching. The only pure moment of joy we have in this film is the opening scene where we get to see all of these young men have a laugh as they watch Eric Pyrdz’s Call On Me music video. It’s a scene that immediately helps us understand the bond this squad has together in order to make the pain feel worse as the gravity of their mission starts to smash them down. 

Additionally, I like to think of this scene as a counter to the anti-war interpretation someone could have on the film. We may see terrible tragedies happen while on this mission, but we never can forget that we only survived because of the bond and love these guys had for each other. They may struggle independently, but together they share something you may never feel unless you become one of them. I’d consider this Warfare’s opening play to provide the audience an opportunity to question war and the film.

As Warfare goes on it never stops asking you to question it. Is there interesting and cool action going on? Yes. Is it terrifying? Yes. Is everything going on in the film depicted in a way that’s pro-war? Maybe. What about anti-war? Maybe. This questioning goes on infinitely and leaves me satisfied with something to think about during and after the film. 

I may not agree with every decision this film makes as a film, but I can’t deny that it feels like I’m stepping into one of Mendoza’s memories. Certain aspects like the dehumanizing of the “bad guys”, the slow pace of the early sections, and the lack of self acknowledgement around what the soldiers are doing are all things that make me conflict with my feelings on the film’s quality as a piece of media. However, I think it’s aspects like these that make the movie charming. I’d go as far as to say that Warfare would be far less interesting to discuss without these directing/writing decisions.

Warfare by Ray Mendoza is a question on war and its depiction in media while cleverly disguising itself as a gripping thriller. For once, I think I’m glad I took time out of my day to watch a war film. It may not have been the best thing I’ve ever seen, or even one of the best things I’ve seen this year, but it was something that has brought me a considerable amount of pleasure. If for no other reason, I’d recommend checking out Warfare to formulate your own opinion on the film itself, war films, and war.