Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza's 'Warfare' Earns Perfect Score for 2006 Iraq Battle Portrayal, Praised for Haunting, Visceral Scenes

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Updated Apr 16, 2025, 06:21 PM

Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza have co-directed 'Warfare,' a film that offers a hyperrealistic portrayal of a 2006 battle in Iraq based on Mendoza's experiences as a Navy SEAL. The movie focuses on a real-time depiction of a firefight without a musical score, compressed time, or composite characters, aiming to immerse viewers in the tangible atmosphere of combat. The film has received high praise, achieving a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have described 'Warfare' as a 'relentless, visceral descent into combat madness' and 'one of the best war movies of the 21st century.' Netflix viewers have also lauded the movie for its haunting and visceral scenes. The cast includes Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Joseph Quinn, Michael Gandolfini, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, and others, who underwent a boot camp to prepare for their roles. The approach to depicting war in 'Warfare' eschews traditional narrative elements, focusing instead on the raw experience of the soldiers involved. The film avoids political messaging, emphasizing the absence of Hollywood flourishes and the use of practical effects to maintain authenticity. The sound design and the portrayal of the Iraqi families and Elliott Miller, a soldier who lost his memory of the event, contribute significantly to the film's emotional impact.

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#Alex Garland #Ray Mendoza #Warfare #Iraq #Mendoza #Navy #Rotten Tomatoes #Netflix #Will Poulter #Cosmo Jarvis #Joseph Quinn #Michael Gandolfini #Hollywood #Iraqi #Elliott Miller

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Sources

thedailybeast.com(3)thehollywoodnews.com(2)spiegel.de dailyuw.com

DER SPIEGEL

@derspiegel

This war movie doesn't show any cool action scenes: “Warfare” is a chaos chamber game in real time. Together with “Civil War” director Alex Garland, former Navy Seal Ray Mendoza filmed his own mission in Iraq. https://t.co/MdRN3ltppv

The Daily of the University of Washington

@thedaily

[ARTS + CULTURE] Review: ‘Warfare’ — Alex Garland attempts to subvert the war movie, with mixed results (via @justinnshen) https://t.co/pgzHa5g0lI

EL PAÍS

@el_pais

“We didn't want to give lessons, or messages, or allegations. That's why there is no politics. We wanted to tell you what I experienced.” A Navy Seal and the director of #CivilWar come together to tell a true and cold story of the Iraq war: “I've never felt reflected” https://t.co/56oJcaRsaa