Mikes Film Talk

The 2025 Docudrama Warfare feels a lot like the Black Hawk Down for the 2000’s. This SEAL team trapped by an all offensive Jihad, is as intense as the 1993 Black Hawk Down incident. This is edge of your seat, armchair clenching viewing. Both “stories” are true events that happened in hostile territory.

The Warfare Story

In November 2006 a platoon of Navy Seals set up sniper support for Marines. They get hemmed in by the enemy. The story is told from this Seal team’s memory of the actual event.

The Cast

D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai is Ray.

Will Poulter is Erik.

Cosmo Jarvis is Elliot.

Joseph Quinn is Sam.

Aaron Mackenzie is Kelly.

Alex Brockdorff is Mikey.

Finn Bennett is John.

Evan Holtzman is Brock.

Michael Gandolfini is Lt Macdonald.

Let’s Talk Warfare

This is an intense watch. Co-Writers/Co-Directors Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza (A veteran and former Navy Seal.) bring a lot to the table. Garland, with his extensive credits as a writer and director knows how to tell a story. Real or otherwise, take for example, Civil War or Ex Machina. The pairing of Garland and Mendoza is dream team. Their effort gives us an intense look at war and the problems associated with extraction when things go South.

Harking back to Black Hawk Down (2001) and the film showing what happened, the same tension and suspense is here. We are on the sidelines sure, but we feel frustration and fear for these brave young men. As mentioned above, both these events really happened. This adds to the feelings of dread and increases that white knuckle ride.

Some are calling Warfare a Call of Duty film. It does, indeed, feel a bit that way. The air support shots, the V.O. accompanying the visuals do feel right out of the game. There is, however, no air cannon support. These air support guys are there to spot enemies and friendlies in an urban battle zone.

So to does the radio chatter between the team and control. The only thing missing, in fact, was someone shouting, “RPG!” You really do expect that one line to occur.

It Works

Despite some complaints that the SEALs seem lost or confused. *This from a combat veteran.* Since the film is a recounting of the real team’s memories, that seems harsh. Watching Warfare, we feel that it is the speed that everything goes South that overwhelms them. That grenade is startling to watch, as if must have been coming in that window for real.

We immediately feel as overwhelmed as the team does.

Kudos to Poulter and the rest of the cast for making this feel as real as possible. The whole lot of them bring a degree of truth to their portrayal of the real Seal team. Well done chaps.

The Verdict

If you are younger and enjoy COD then you will enjoy this film. Older viewers will like it for different reasons. I can easily give this one a 5 star ranking. It is streaming on Prime right now.

The Trailer