The best war movie I've seen in years is now streaming — and it's a frontrunner for my favorite film of 2025

Tom's Guide

06-05-2025

April at the movies was all about the breakout success of 'Sinners.' It's a fantastic film, no doubt about it, but in all the adoration showered upon Ryan Coogler's high-octane vampire-horror, another (equally impressive) movie got lost in the shuffle: 'Warfare.'
I caught both movies in the same weekend, and while I had a complete blast with 'Sinners,' it was 'Warfare' that really stuck with me. Here we are weeks later, and I still can't get this intense portrayal of frontline combat out of my mind. It's gone straight to the top of my favorite movies released in 2025 ranking, and I'd argue it's one of the best war movies ever made.
Its box office earnings were relatively paltry at just $25M (on a budget of $20M), so if you're one of the many who missed out when it arrived on the big screen, the good news is, 'Warfare' is now available to stream (on premium video-on-demand via Amazon and Apple). Seriously, don't skip it a second time.
I'm not usually one to sit through a movie's entire credits (unless it's a Marvel movie with their trademark post-credits scenes), but with 'Warfare,' I had to remain in my cinema seat just to let my heart rate return to normal. Here's why this grisly war epic is a must-watch.
Co-written and co-directed by military veteran Ray Mendoza, alongside Alex Garland (who helmed last year's seriously overlooked 'Civil War'), 'Warfare' is a warts-and-all chronicling of a devastating day in the lives of a group of U.S. Navy SEALs during the Iraq War.
During the Battle of Ramadi, a group of U.S. soldiers hold up in a cramped house to begin a period of surveillance. But what starts as a routine mission quickly descends into a nightmare situation as they face threats on all sides and must battle to survive against circling enemy forces.
Starring Will Poulter, Charles Melton, Joseph Quinn, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Kit Conner, 'Warfar' is a harrowing insight into the experience of boots-on-the-ground infantry and, as the opening title card reveals, is entirely rooted in the memories of those who served on the frontlines.
After a high-energy opening that sees the movie's cast of soldiers blowing off some steam by watching a raunchy music video in the army barracks, 'Warfare' gets right into the action as we see the members of Navy SEAL platoon Alpha One take over a civilian house under the cover of darkness.
Flashforward to the next day, and from here 'Warfare' takes place entirely in real-time. It's a genius storytelling decision that adds extreme levels of tension and anxiety to the proceedings. When a squad member calls for urgent extraction and is told the Bradley vehicle is six minutes out, you, as a viewer, feel right there alongside the soldiers desperately waiting for help.
Six short minutes feel like a lifetime, so I can only imagine how slowly those seconds must have ticked by for the men stranded in the house with enemies on all sides. It's this level of authenticity that 'Warfare' brings across the board. Almost every single frame is visceral and realistic.
This approach is mirrored in the movie's cast of characters, who are each based on real-life soldiers, but with altered names for anonymity. None of the cast has a big action-hero moment or a dramatic monologue. Viewers aren't even treated to any extensive backstories. Instead, each squad member is portrayed as a brave soldier caught up in a fierce war machine.
Clocking in at a trim 95 minutes, 'Warfare' doesn't give you a moment to catch your breath. And this is intentional. During the heat of conflict, there aren't peaceful pauses. The intensity levels are kept at a maximum from the moment things go south. It does make 'Warfare' an exhausting watch, but it also makes it supremely engaging and relentlessly thrilling.
I'm not typically one to react to on-screen moments in theaters. But one scene in 'Warfare' (you'll know the one if you've seen it) had me nearly leap from my chair in surprise, shock and genuine fear. It's a powerful way of showcasing how quickly things change on the battlefield. And after my adrenaline had finished spiking, I was left in awe of the sheer cinema craftsmanship on display in 'Warfare.' Kudos to Mandoza and Garland.
Unlike many recent war movies, 'Warfare' also doesn't feel the need to labor its central thesis. In fact, it arguably doesn't have one. While its grounded portrayal of combat could never be labelled pro-war propaganda, it doesn't exactly scream 'anti-war' either. Instead, the aim is to accurately recreate the sights and sounds of being in such a high-pressure situation, and in this regard, 'Warfare' has almost no peers.
Of course, an authentic deception of war also means that 'Warfare' is an extremely violent movie. There are moments of intense gore that will stay with you, and the blood-curdling screams of injured soldiers will ring in your ears for weeks after watching. These men really do go through hell.
So just be warned, 'Warfare' isn't a war movie about larger-than-life heroes making a triumphant last stand, it's something much better.
If all my praise above isn't enough to convince you to give 'Warfare' a chance, then perhaps its extremely high review scores will tip you over the edge. Over on Rotten Tomatoes, 'Warfare' has managed an impressive 92% score from more than 200 reviews.
'Narratively cut to the bone and geared up with superb filmmaking craft, Warfare evokes the primal terror of combat with unnerving power,' reads RT's 'Critics Consensus,' and if my above write-up didn't make it clear, I wholeheartedly agree with that assessment. My fellow viewers also seem to agree, as the movie holds a 93% rating on the site's Popcornmeter.
'Warfare' is a movie-watching experience I won't soon forget. While I think it's best seen on the big screen (the truly incredible sound design warrants professional-grade speakers), this is a movie that deserves your full attention even if streamed at home. Prepare yourself for a brutal ride.
Few movies have made me feel like I'm standing shoulder-to-shoulder with its cast, but 'Warfare' manages to achieve that rare feat. It's a war movie that hits with a real force that lasts long after the credits roll.
Buy or rent "Warfare" on Amazon and Apple now