Buckle up for one of the year’s most visceral movie-watching experiences – Warfare is coming to Cineworld on Friday April 18th, and this all-action military thriller has all the hallmarks of being a modern-day classic.
Written and directed by Alex Garland (Civil War, Ex Machina) and Ray Mendoza – and based on the latter's recollections of serving in the Iraq War – the film follows a platoon of Navy SEALs in real time as they embark on a dangerous mission through enemy territory. Tense, exhilarating and at times harrowing, Warfare is one you won’t want to miss on the big screen.
So, what else do we know about Warfare, and why should you book seats for this much-lauded new movie? Read on to find out…
It’s based on real events
Warfare doesn’t have a storyline in the traditional sense – rather, it’s based on a real operation that was carried out by real soldiers. The assignment in question took place on November 19th 2006, when the USA was fighting the Iraq War. A platoon of US Navy SEALS that included Ray Mendoza (played in the film by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai) and his best friend Elliot Miller (Cosmo Jarvis) were sent on a daring mission in the city of Ramadi that ended up becoming a fight for survival – literally in the latter’s case, as he was seriously injured while engaging in combat. The movie is dedicated to Miller, who still suffers from his injuries to this day.
It’s incredibly realistic
When Mendoza and Garland were making Warfare, one of their key objectives was to deliver a realistic portrayal of military conflict. And they achieved their goal – so much so that the action scenes, in particular the scene in which Miller is injured, unleashed some painful memories for Mendoza. “The sound, the way [he] was struggling, the light, how much smoke there was, it was perfect – as in, too perfect,” he told SlashFilm. “And it kind of opened up years of compartmentalisation of these emotions and feelings that I was afraid was going to happen, and it did.
"So, that was a powerful moment for me. Therapeutic as well. I think being there with Elliot [was] maybe the only way that I could kind of deal with that because of how intense, how much that event really changed my life. Not only physically, but just emotionally.”
We're showing Warfare in our premium formats – for one day only
When it goes on general release on Friday April 18th, Warfare will be shown in the standard 2D format only. However, on Wednesday April 16th, we're giving you a one-off chance to watch the movie in our premium formats – IMAX, 4DX and Superscreen. Whichever one of these you choose to watch the movie in, you're guaranteed a breathtaking cinematic experience.
IMAX marries cutting-edge remastering and dual projection with realistic, heart-pounding audio to deliver a cinema experience that’s breathtaking in every way; 4DX is an immersive thrill ride that combines seat movement with realistic sensory effects – wind, water spray, authentic smells and more – to thrust you right into the heart of the movie; while Superscreen’s spectacular visuals and crystal-clear audio will turn every frame of this action thriller into a masterpiece.
Perhaps you could book tickets for all three formats – you’ll get a different, yet equally amazing, experience every time!
It’s been getting brilliant reviews
Critics have been falling over themselves to praise this unique movie. Its 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is accompanied by the line: "Narratively cut to the bone and geared up with superb filmmaking craft, Warfare evokes the primal terror of combat with unnerving power."
Equally gushing was Don Kaye of Moviefone, who commented: “Warfare manages to bring forth the real cost of war for every human being involved with an incredible level of detail, horror, and authenticity. It’s brutal – as it should be.”
And those sentiments were reflected by Empire’s Alex Godfrey, whose five-star review included the line: “War is hell, and Warfare refuses to shy away from it. Free of the operatics of most supposed anti-war films, it’s all the more effective for its simplicity. It is respectfully gruelling.”
.jpg)
.png)
