Warfare

With its relentless urgency and almost overwhelming intensity, Warfare is a visceral triumph that somehow manages to audaciously redefine the way military conflict is depicted on screen.

Taken from a true-life account and told almost in real time, this searing account from director Alex Garland (Ex Machina) and ex-Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza fully commits to raw boots-on-the-ground authenticity in every gritty frame.

As it follows SEAL forces in Iraq whose bunker turns into a trap, music and extraneous effects are stripped away to reflect a vivid sense of intimacy. Even the silent moments convey an eerie tension, knowing that an ambush or explosion could await around any corner.

It’s set in 2006, inside a house in a residential neighborhood of war-torn Ramadi where about a dozen Americans have taken up sniper positions as Al-Qaeda operatives close in. We’re embedded before we even know anything about these characters or their exact mission.

As they chart potential insurgents using advanced intelligence, the platoon comes under attack and must aggressively engage the enemy to avoid being wiped out.

The screenplay by Garland and Mendoza — autobiographical in the latter’s case, and based on recollections of those with whom he served — is insightful in its level of meticulous detail regarding the procedures, roles, and communication among the soldiers.

The film sidesteps politics or broader context but still escalates the physical and psychological stakes as it gradually fills in the narrative gaps.

It also provides a terrific showcase for an ensemble cast that includes rising stars such as Joseph Quinn, Will Poulter, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Henry Golding, Michael Gandolfini, and Cosmo Jarvis.

The latest heartfelt salute to the courage and camaraderie of our troops along the front lines expresses a sentiment that can never be repeated enough, although that alone does not make it a worthwhile movie.

Rather, this gut-wrenching powerhouse avoids cheap sentiment or passing judgment. It doesn’t shy away from brutality and bloody trauma, or from the sacrifices that seem inevitable.

Rendered with compassion and conviction, Warfare emphasizes the collective experience over individual character arcs, yet winds up more deeply affecting as a result. These are ordinary warriors caught up in extraordinary circumstances, deserving of this riveting cinematic spotlight and much more.

Rated R, 95 minutes.