In War Machine, a Netflix original, not one but two war machines collide. The first is an unstoppable killing engine from another world. The second is a US Army staff sergeant. He just wants his unit to make it home alive. Since this is an action film, we know that won’t happen.
Alan Ritchson (perfectly cast) plays the unnamed human war machine. Two years before the main action of the movie takes place, he and his brother’s unit were ambushed in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Wounded, he tried to carry his brother back to base. The brother died, but he received a Silver Star. However, the honour continues to gnaw at him.
Physically recovered, he pursues entry into an elite ranger programme. He sees this as a way to cope and redeem himself. It was the last dream the two brothers shared. On his final attempt, he gets in and is assigned the number 81. (Rangers are not called by name, we learn.)
He aces every drill and outperforms every trainee. However, his superiors, Sergeant Major Sheridan (Dennis Quaid) and First Sergeant Torres (Esai Morales), aren’t impressed. 81 isn’t a team player. He doesn’t bond, barely speaks, can’t sleep, and pushes himself until he collapses mid-drill.
He is nearly dismissed by his superiors. Along with his fellow trainees, he is sent on the final wilderness exercise. During this exercise, an extra-terrestrial meteor crashes, carrying the alien machine. As the unit is reduced in number, 81 becomes cautious of leadership. The burden of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) weighs heavily on him. He is the only one who can keep the survivors moving. He plays a vital role in keeping them alive.
Surprisingly, for a military man, 81 is a pacifist in terms of his instincts and a reluctant combatant. Unlike most action heroes, his reflex is to protect and evade to keep casualties low. That restraint becomes his most effective ammunition.
Ritchson is known for his work in and as Jack Reacher. He is literally the hero of the film in every meaning of the word. Tall and rugged, he has the physicality of any 1980s or 1990s action hero, albeit with an inverted persona. Built like a tank, he plays 81 with a fragile soul. His voice is soft and unsteady. His hands tremble continuously. The viewer realises that this man is geared for defence, not offence. This is a masterstroke.
Director Patrick Hughes (The Hitman’s Bodyguard) keeps the pace taut. The screenplay, co-written with James Beaufort and Hughes, channels the no-nonsense drive of Predator and Aliens. However, the sheen is updated with sleeker, new-age filmmaking tools.
That is where the film slips.
War Machine’s colour grading defaults to the bleached, teal-grey-leaning palette that has been standardised since Saving Private Ryan (1998). The look all but flattens its otherwise premium tool set. The film is shot on the top-of-the-line Arri Alexa 35 cinema camera. It uses top-tier Angenieux, Cooke and Cauldwell lenses. Believe me, this is as good as it gets, quality-wise.
The second problem is the alien machine’s design. The angular, humanoid design has machine-gun turrets, missile launchers, and a laser cannon in the middle. It looks like the generic version of battle mechs from video games. It also resembles those from toys and Saturday morning cartoons from my youth.
Still, like its opposing forces — one is driven by grief and duty. The other is programmed for annihilation. War Machine doesn’t stop. It does not let the viewer flinch. The film has a hopeful open ending. One wishes that it doesn’t become a movie series. Things will only go downhill from here. The good ammo is all used up in this fine, thoroughly recommended action film.
Streaming on Netflix, War Machine is rated suitable for ages 18 and over, because of the fatalities
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