Warfare is a 95-minute 2025 war film from A24, written and directed by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland. It follows a Navy SEAL platoon occupying an Iraqi family’s home in Ramadi Province while U.S. forces prepare to move through insurgent-held territory. The film is based on a real November 2006 operation and reconstructs it through the memories of the people who were there.
What Warfare is about
The film begins with a small SEAL team settled inside an Iraqi residence. Their assignment is surveillance: watch the surrounding area, communicate what they see, and help protect the movement of American ground forces the following day.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Warfare | $29.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare - BLURAY, Digital, 4K ULTRA HD | $13.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare - DVD, BLURAY, Digital | $8.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Magical Warfare: Complete Collection [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61npQKBQeOL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Magical Warfare: Complete Collection [Blu-ray] | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
![Excalibur [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51dRIplx8CL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Excalibur [Blu-ray] | $43.85 | Buy on Amazon |
That setup gives Warfare a deliberately narrow perspective. The movie does not provide a conventional account of the Iraq War, explain the political decisions behind the invasion, or offer a broad history of the conflict. Instead, almost everything is experienced from inside the house: radio calls, whispered instructions, incoming fire, medical treatment, ammunition checks, and attempts to move wounded men through a collapsing tactical situation.
When insurgents attack the position, the mission changes from observation to survival and evacuation. The film’s tension comes less from a sequence of conventional action scenes than from the platoon’s struggle to understand what is happening while injured personnel need immediate help.
#1 Best Overall
- Alex Garland
- Ray Mendoza
- D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai
- Will Poulter
- Cosmo Jarvis
Is Warfare based on a true story?
Yes. Warfare is a dramatization of a real operation in Ramadi Province, Iraq, in November 2006. The central incident involved Navy SEAL Elliott Miller, who suffered severe injuries during the attack and lost his memory of the event.
Ray Mendoza, who served in Iraq and is represented by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai’s character, helped reconstruct the mission by interviewing members of the platoon. Their recollections supplied the film’s chronology, dialogue, tactical details, and understanding of what happened inside the house.
That distinction matters. The movie is not an independently documented, minute-by-minute record in which every detail has been verified against a complete public archive. Its realism comes primarily from firsthand testimony. It is best understood as a carefully constructed dramatization of a remembered combat experience.
Who is in the cast?
| Actor | Role or connection |
|---|---|
| D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai | Plays a character based on Ray Mendoza |
| Cosmo Jarvis | Plays a character based on Elliott Miller |
| Will Poulter | Part of the SEAL platoon |
| Kit Connor | Part of the SEAL platoon |
| Finn Bennett | Part of the SEAL platoon |
| Taylor John Smith | Part of the SEAL platoon |
| Michael Gandolfini | Part of the SEAL platoon |
| Adain Bradley | Part of the SEAL platoon |
| Noah Centineo | Part of the SEAL platoon |
| Evan Holtzman | Part of the SEAL platoon |
| Henrique Zaga | Part of the SEAL platoon |
| Joseph Quinn | Part of the SEAL platoon |
| Charles Melton | Part of the SEAL platoon |
The characters are not introduced through lengthy personal histories. Most are defined by their responsibilities during the mission: who is watching, who is communicating, who is treating the wounded, and who is trying to get people out. This ensemble approach keeps attention on the platoon as a unit rather than turning the film into a conventional biography of one soldier.
Rank #2
- The British military recruits a small group of highly-skilled soldiers to strike against Nazi forces behind enemy lines during World War II.
How the film creates its realism
The actors undertook military-style preparation before filming. Reported training included carrying approximately 50 pounds of equipment, moving one another on stretchers, learning radio procedure, handling weapons, and becoming familiar with military terminology. That preparation supports the film’s physical detail, particularly during the chaotic evacuation sequences.
Production took place outside London on a former World War II airfield that had been converted into a film and television studio. The set was designed to keep the action confined and spatially understandable: rooms, windows, corridors, and sightlines become as important as the gunfire itself.
The movie also avoids the musical cues that usually tell viewers how to feel. Its opening uses Eric Prydz’s “Call on Me,” a song and music video that Mendoza said the real service members watched before missions. After that, the soundtrack is dominated by diegetic sound: weapons, radio traffic, shouted orders, breathing, explosions, and the voices of injured men. The result is closer to a sustained sensory assault than to a traditionally scored war drama.
What the movie leaves out
Warfare intentionally refuses to answer several questions that a broader Iraq War documentary might normally address. It does not substantially explain the origins of the war, the strategic purpose of the wider American campaign, the political consequences of the occupation, or the Iraqi civilian experience beyond the immediate setting of the house.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRank #3
- The British military recruits a small group of highly-skilled soldiers to strike against Nazi forces behind enemy lines during World War II.
That limitation is both the film’s method and its most debated feature. Supporters argue that the restricted viewpoint conveys how little combatants can understand during an operation. Critics have noted that removing the larger political and historical context can make the film feel incomplete, especially because a war film cannot entirely avoid questions about the war it depicts.
Alex Garland has described the film as not intended to be a political statement or direct commentary on Iraq. Even so, the choice to focus exclusively on the platoon is itself meaningful. The film presents combat as an immediate physical crisis rather than as an event with a fully explained political framework.
Release and where to watch
A24 released Warfare in U.S. theaters on April 11, 2025. Its U.S. streaming debut on HBO Max was announced for September 12, 2025. A24’s film page also lists digital options including Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, and Fandango at Home, along with physical Blu-ray availability. Prices, subtitles, and access can vary by country.
The film runs 95 minutes and is rated R. A24’s Blu-ray presentation includes English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Reception
Warfare received strong reviews for its sound design, technical precision, claustrophobic staging, and physical intensity. Rotten Tomatoes lists it at 92% from critics, based on 237 reviews, and 92% from verified audiences, based on more than 2,500 ratings at the time of the cited figures.
The praise comes with a consistent qualification: this is not an explanatory war film. Viewers looking for a political history of Iraq, a detailed account of the SEALs’ lives before deployment, or a conventional hero’s journey may find the film withholding. Viewers willing to accept its restricted, real-time-like approach will find a concentrated portrayal of confusion, dependency, and battlefield medical care under pressure.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Is Warfare a documentary?
No. It is a narrative feature film, but it is based on a real 2006 Iraq War operation and was developed from interviews and recollections of the participants. Ray Mendoza, an Iraq War veteran, co-wrote and co-directed it with Alex Garland.
What real event is Warfare based on?
The film is based on a November 2006 mission in Ramadi Province, Iraq, during which Navy SEALs occupied an urban residence to monitor insurgent-held territory and support the movement of U.S. forces. The position was attacked, and the platoon had to evacuate wounded personnel.
Best Value
- Excalibur [Blu-ray]
Who does Cosmo Jarvis play in Warfare?
Jarvis plays a character based on Elliott Miller, the SEAL at the center of the real incident. Miller suffered life-threatening injuries and lost his memory of the operation, which was later reconstructed with help from fellow service members.
Does Warfare explain the Iraq War?
No. The film concentrates on one platoon’s immediate experience during one operation. It offers little political or historical background and does not attempt to explain the origins, strategy, or wider consequences of the Iraq War.
The Bottom Line
Warfare is best approached as a participant-based combat reconstruction rather than a conventional documentary or a broad Iraq War history. Its narrow viewpoint, limited exposition, and near-continuous battlefield sound place the viewer inside one disastrous operation. That focus produces the film’s power, while also explaining why some viewers may want more historical and political context than it provides.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →
