Warfare

IF YOU LIKE WAR MOVIES… you might enjoy Warfare.

IF YOU WERE OKAY WITH THE REALISTIC GORE OF SAVING PRIVATE RYAN… you might enjoy Warfare.

IF YOU APPROVE OF AMERICA’S INVOLVEMENT IN IRAQ IN THIS CENTURY… you might enjoy Warfare.

The true events depicted in Warfare occurred on November 19, 2006. American Navy seals were sent into a neighborhood of Ramadi, Iraq to quell an assemblage of jihadists. They took over a residence. They engaged the enemy. 

A missle hit resulted in injuries to troops who were outside the residence. Efforts were made to address those grisly wounds. A pair of tanks were dispatched to ferry the troops out of the danger zone.

Did this action have a significant effect on the U.S, war effort in Iraq? Hard to say. As one of the Iraqi family members whose home was taken over by the Americans pleads near the movie’s end, “Why?” 

The moviemaking craft employed here is laudable. Despite being filmed primarily in Britain, the moviemakers (co-directors/writers Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza) do a superb job of recreating the Iraqi home and its environs. Aerial surveillance images add to the storytelling of the mission.

Warfare shows the teamwork and commitment these men—real life individuals—put into the U.S. military efforts in Iraq. Only a few of these men have their real names and photos shown in the film’s end credits—most are given aliases and their faces are blurred.

Warfare is intense. Not an easy film to watch. Once was enough for me. Rated R.

Ex Machina

 

The best film I’ve seen this year is Ex Machina, which ranks near Bladerunner in its story of artificial intelligence creatures and their interactions with humans.

Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) is a 26-year-old coder for a large search engine. He wins a company-wide lottery and is chosen to spend a week with the company’s founder, the just slightly older Nathan (Oscar Issac) at Nathan’s remote mountain hideaway.

After a copter ride over miles of wilderness, Caleb makes his way to Nathan’s crib and meets the quirky genius. Nathan tells Caleb about Ava (Alicia Vikander), a robot Nathan has created that Caleb will evaluate over the next few days.

Caleb never gets comfortable. His room, and much of the building, has no windows. There are occasional power shutdowns. Nathan counters his drinking binges with extreme workouts. Nathan speaks to his female Japanese housemaid (Sonoya Mizuno) abusively.

Caleb has daily sessions with Ava where they converse but are separated by glass. Following the sessions, Nathan debriefs Caleb.

As the week progresses, Caleb’s curiosity about Ava and her capabilities grows. As with Deckard and Rachael in Bladerunner, Caleb and Ava appear to be developing genuine affection for one another, which helps set up the story’s climax.

Rookie director Alex Garland makes a smashing debut in a film that is understated. This movie depends more on a thoughtful script (Garland wrote it) than on effects and tricks. The focus on conversations makes Ex Machina a film that, with a few accommodations, could be presented as a stage play.

With a small group of actors carrying the film, casting and performances are crucial. Issac and Gleeson, in their portrayals of these brainy nerds, are fun to watch in their interactions. Vikander brings appropriate restraint to her role as the gorgeous robot Ava. Bravo to all three!

One reviewer quoted in the above trailer called Ex Machina “an instant classic.” For any fan of great movies, I recommend it. For any fan of great sci-fi, Ex Machina is a must-see.