Warfare: Alex Garland’s Iraq War Film—Is It Really That Accurate?

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For several years, numerous timeless war movies have graced our screens – ranging from Paths of Glory to Dunkirk. However, filmmaker Alex Garland believes that his upcoming movie, Warfare, offers a unique twist unlike many of its predecessors.

In collaboration with ex-U.S. Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza, Garland has helmed a film currently screening in UK theaters. He believes that their joint direction imparts a unique advantage over past cinematic portrayals of conflict.

It’s peculiar, isn’t it, that we don’t see many firsthand accounts from veterans in cinema, considering the abundance of war movies. Yet, it’s fantastic to find myself next to Ray, witnessing him at work.

Or,

It’s odd how scarce are unfiltered accounts by veterans in films, especially given the numerous war movies out there. Still, it’s a privilege to be with Ray and observe his craftsmanship.

To clarify the accuracy of Warfare, delve into the following details, featuring unique perspectives from Mendoza as well as actors Kit Connor, Will Poulter, and Cosmo Jarvis.

Is Warfare based on a true story?

Indeed, this movie narrates a real account of a surveillance operation that experienced unforeseen complications within hostile insurgent territory in Ramadi, Iraq, back in November 2006. Notably, one of the film’s directors, Ray Mendoza, personally participated in the mission.

The movie follows events as they truly occurred, drawing heavily from the recollections of those who experienced it firsthand. Essentially, it’s an effort to portray the narrative of what transpired authentically, considering the viewpoints of Mendoza and the other Navy SEALs featured in the film.

As a movie buff, I’d rephrase that as follows: In the heart of Iraq, under the control of Al-Qaeda forces, I found myself on an adrenaline-fueled mission with a team composed of American Navy SEALs, two local Iraqi scouts, and two Marines. We braved the danger together in this war-torn region, a testament to our shared resolve.

The objective was to secretly monitor a city neighborhood at night so that ground troops could safely move through the area the next day.

During the harrowing operation, a hand grenade was tossed into our snipers’ lair by Al-Qaeda operatives, wounding Elliott Miller, my fellow sniper, and another SEAL comrade. Subsequently, an improvised explosive device detonated outside the compound, adding to the injuries sustained by Elliott and Officer Joe Hildebrand upon their attempt to extract us from the danger zone.

In the movie Warfare, the initial scenes deviate sharply from the brutal events that unfold later, as it begins by portraying the platoon having a carefree moment the night before the mission, dancing enthusiastically to Eric Prydz’s 2004 song “Call on Me.

He went on to explain, “It serves multiple purposes for me. Personally, it acts as a timer for me. To others, hearing this song might evoke memories of college life or belonging to a fraternity, among other things.

As a passionate fan, I can’t help but note that this element fosters a youthful vibe – it’s like us, the young ones, walking into an experience on the brink of transformation.

Mendoza’s personal account played a crucial role in accurately conveying the thoughts and feelings of the veterans to the movie cast during this incident. In particular, Cosmo Jarvis, portraying Elliott Miller, found Mendoza’s insights particularly valuable.

He mentioned that he first encountered Elliot during a later stage in the production. Interestingly, he hadn’t known beforehand that Elliot would be joining, but indeed, he did appear. Most of the information regarding Elliot, however, came from Ray and his acquaintances, as they are close friends, and Ray shared a great deal about Elliot with me.

In reference to both Elliot as a character, particularly Ray, during the incident in Ramadi in 2006, and their shared experiences, it’s worth noting that most of the details came from Ray. Prior to this, I had some valuable exchanges with Elliot’s father.

Additionally, Kit Connor acknowledged that Mendoza’s contribution was indispensable, as he expressed how it helped bring to life likely one of the most significant and influential periods in his character’s life.

He mentioned: “He frequently expresses that the child within him ceased to exist on that particular day, as if he transitioned into adulthood. Therefore, I suspect it was an incredibly emotional event for him, yet he managed to view it with a remarkable degree of detachment.

The film’s purpose, you might say, was to eliminate prejudice and remove any personal interpretations. Instead, it aimed for an unbiased approach focusing solely on discovering the truth, all conveyed via memories.

In the movie, every event portrayed is a collective memory of those present, which is an exceptionally challenging guideline to adhere to. However, Alex and Ray managed to abide by these self-imposed restrictions consistently, from start to finish.

It was truly enlightening for us as actors to collaborate specifically with Ray, along with everyone else on set. They all provided unique insights, and since they’ve had time to reflect (hindsight), their contributions were particularly valuable.

As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I had the privilege of engaging with fellow cast members like Will Poulter, who shared enlightening insights about his character. The veteran he portrayed graciously offered me numerous opportunities to converse with him, providing invaluable details so I could authentically portray his experiences on that fateful day.

He went on to say: “Having the actual participants of the event contribute was crucial for maintaining an authentic portrayal of that critical afternoon. This is significant since I believe it’s essential that veterans are truthfully depicted in the movie.

To provide an authentic portrayal of warfare environments, we aim to show civilians a more realistic representation instead of the glamorous or romanticized versions often found in some existing films. These depictions can oversimplify or idealize the harsh, overwhelmingly negative aspects of such experiences.

Michael Gandolfini gained valuable insights from approximately six interactions with the individual portrayed by him, who held a distinctive position during the highly impactful incident.

He clarified that a significant matter had arisen regarding the fact that he wasn’t a SEAL himself, but rather, he was assisting them through ANGLICO, which is part of the Navy. His role there primarily involved providing air support. However, when they encountered a shortage of air support, it felt to him like he was no longer useful, and this situation became quite stressful for him.

Additionally, he courageously revealed an intriguing perspective to me. Essentially, he perceived the entire situation as detached and believed it might have been a simulation or training exercise.

Thus, those discussions and Ray’s remarkable assistance, as well as help from numerous other men present, significantly influenced the courageous actions he took that day and their movements, in essence.

As a movie enthusiast, I can tell you, the guidelines and details I gathered were instrumental in more than just crafting the physical protocol. They also shaped the mindset I attributed to the character while working on it.

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2025-04-18 13:07