The Verdict
"Narratively cut to the bone and geared up with superb filmmaking craft,Warfareevokes the primal terror of combat with unnerving power."
"Warfareviscerally places you in the trenches with bone-crunching realism, honoring the soldier experience while simultaneously philosophizing on the impossibility of their sacrifice."
Movie Review and Other Insights
Warfare is a visionary Action, War, Mystery & Thriller, Drama film directed by the acclaimed Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland (Andrew Macdonald). Released in theaters on Apr 11, 2025, Wide, this cinematic experience offers a fresh take on the classic narrative. Produced by DNA Films and distributed by A24, the film features a runtime of 1h 35m.
The story follows written and directed by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland (Civil War, 28 Days Later), Warfare embeds audiences with a platoon of American Navy SEALs on a surveillance mission gone wrong in insurgent territory. A visceral, boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare and brotherhood, told like never before: in real time and based on the memory of the people who lived it. Leading the cast are star performers Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, who bring depth and intensity to their roles.
Rated R for Intense War Violence|Bloody/Grisly Images|Language Throughout, Warfare delivers a Dolby Digital audio experience presented in a aspect ratio. Critics have praised the film, stating: "Narratively cut to the bone and geared up with superb filmmaking craft,Warfareevokes the primal terror of combat with unnerving power."
Images
Cast & Crew
Critic Reviews
"I say this as a compliment and not as a criticism, I wanted it to end."
"Warfare, by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, is the most forceful and unflinching depiction of combat since Edward Berger’s 2023 Oscar-winning All Quiet on the Western Front. It’s also one of the boldest and most formally daring."
"While conventional entertainment value may not be the film’s strength, Garland and Mendoza have taken some impressive risks in throwing many of the rules of drama out the window."
"It’s taut, thrilling, and perhaps not much more, but Warfare tells you what it is and delivers"
"It never delivers a real emotional punch because, frankly, it relies on clichés to the point of being nauseating, and often features a narrative without pulse that fails to capture the visceral chaos of modern warfare. [Full review in Spanish]"
"A torn-off limb, misplaced weapons, unrecognisable bodies. It is the closest to frontline action many of us are likely to get. Thank god, but the glimpse is electrifying."
Audience Reviews
Without a doubt the most horrifying war film I’ve ever seen. Gritty realism with top notch sound design. 8.8/10
Hard watch, but necessary. Shows a side of modern warfare most never get to see.
One of the best war movies I seen yet
Very real. Important.
Made SF look bad.. they got shot at and freaked out. That’s the whole movie
raw, well made, well acted ... but it ends a bit abruptly that left me a little bit like... that's it? It's worth a once over for sure. But, I probably won't revisit it. I love war esq./military films, too.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Warfare released?
Warfare hit theaters on Apr 11, 2025, Wide. It became available for streaming on May 6, 2025.
How long is the movie and what is the genre?
The film has a runtime of 1h 35m. It falls under the Action, War, Mystery & Thriller, Drama genre, featuring a sound mix in Dolby Digital.
Who is the director of Warfare?
The movie is directed by Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland. The script was penned by Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland.
Who are the main actors in Warfare?
The top billed cast includes:
- Ray Mendoza as Director
- Alex Garland as Director
- D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Ray
- Will Poulter as Erik
- Cosmo Jarvis as Elliott
Why is Warfare rated R?
It is rated R (Intense War Violence|Bloody/Grisly Images|Language Throughout)
Which studio produced the movie?
Warfare was produced by DNA Films and distributed worldwide by A24.
About the movie
NEWWritten and directed by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland (Civil War, 28 Days Later), Warfare embeds audiences with a platoon of American Navy SEALs on a surveillance mission gone wrong in insurgent territory. A visceral, boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare and brotherhood, told like never before: in real time and based on the memory of the people who lived it.
- Director
- Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland
- Producers
- Andrew Macdonald, Mathew Penry-Davey, Allon Reich, Peter Rice
- Screenwriter
- Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland
- Distributor
- A24
- Production
- DNA Films
- Genre
- Action, War, Mystery & Thriller, Drama
- Release Date
- Apr 11, 2025, Wide
- Run Time
- 1h 35m
- Rating
- R
- Sound Mix
- Dolby Digital