Latest news with #RayMendoza
Newsweek
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Warfare Gets New Digital Release Date
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors The film from ex-Navy SEAL, Ray Mendoza, and Civil War director Alex Garland hits the digital shelves today as A24 announces that Warfare is now available to rent and buy from home. Following a platoon of Navy SEALs on a mission in Ramadi, Iraq, Warfare offers audiences a look at "the chaos and brotherhood of war", retold through the memories of the people it is based upon. Not only is the film now available to watch from home digitally, but you can also pre-order 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray copies from the A24 shop ahead of its summer release. Will Poulter in 'Warfare' from Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland. A24 has announced the film is now available to rent and buy on digital. Will Poulter in 'Warfare' from Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland. A24 has announced the film is now available to rent and buy on digital. Murray Close With plenty of options on how to watch Warfare available, we've put together a guide that includes details on where to watch Warfare, as well as the Warfare digital release date, and Warfare streaming information. Warfare – How to Watch Warfare releases on Video on Demand platforms on May 6, 2025. The film is now available to rent and buy on places like Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, and YouTube for $19.99 to rent and $24.99 to buy. Where Can I Watch Warfare? Warfare is now available to watch digitally. You can rent or buy the film from Video on Demand platforms. Warfare is also available for pre-order on physical media in the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray formats. Warfare Physical Release Date Warfare is now available for pre-order in 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray formats from the A24 shop. The listing says copies are expected to ship this summer. Bonus features include: Commentary with Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland, and Military Consultant Brian Philpot "Courage Under Fire: The Making of Warfare" Featurette Set of Six Collectible Postcards with Behind-the-Scenes Photography by Alex Brockdorff Bonus features may vary depending on format and retailer. Warfare Digital Release Date Warfare will be available to watch digitally from May 6, 2025. Is Warfare Available to Stream in the US? Warfare is not yet available on any streaming services in the US. However, due to the exclusive streaming deal between HBO, Max, and A24, Warfare will likely end up on Max in the coming months. What Is Warfare About? The official synopsis for Warfare, as per A24, reads:
Tom's Guide
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
The best war movie I've seen in years is now streaming — and it's a frontrunner for my favorite film of 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
Tom's Guide
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
6 top new movies to stream this week on Netflix, Hulu and more (May 6-12)
It's a good week to be a Netflix or Hulu subscriber as both streaming services are offering up a pair of new movies you won't want to miss. There are also new arrivals on premium video-on-demand streaming, and Paramount Plus will debut a British comedy-drama that everybody needs to watch. My highlight of the week is the digital release of 'Warfare,' a gripping and relentlessly forceful action-drama rooted in the harrowing memories of real soldiers on the frontline. It's my current top pick for the best movie of 2025, and it's a technical marvel. Below, I'm rounding up my top picks for the best new movies you can watch across the best streaming services over the next seven days. And don't forget to check out our companion guide to the top new TV shows worth binge-watching this week. 'Warfare' is one of the most visceral and shell-shocking war movies ever made. It's my current frontrunner for the best movie of 2025, and deserves every ounce of praise it's received since its release in mid-April. Unfortunately, its release in theaters was a little overshadowed by all the hype surrounding 'Sinners,' which is a great shame because 'Warfare' is equally worthy of attention. It's a war movie that depicts combat at its most brutal, intense and disorienting. Directed by combat veteran Ray Mendoza, alongside 'Civil War' filmmaker Alex Gardland, 'Warfare' sees a platoon of U.S. Navy SEALs caught up in a stand-off with local insurgents. Presented in real-time, these brave soldiers face a harrowing ordeal as they do their best to survive as enemy forces circle. 'Warfare' pulls zero punches, and it can be almost anxiety-inducing at times, but it's supremely impactful and has been called one of the most authentic war movies ever made. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Buy or rent on Amazon from May 6 'Heart Eyes' is another well-timed reminder never to judge a movie by its appearance. It would be easy to dismiss this rom-com horror as bargain-bin fodder based on its silly premise. However, in reality, it's a pleasantly enjoyable slasher. Playing into genre tropes with a self-aware smile. 'Heart Eyes' is bloody good fun, with enough chemistry between its uber-attractive leads to get you invested in their survival and their relationship prospects. Set on Valentine's Day, it follows a cynical ad executive (Mason Gooding) and his hopeless romantic colleague (Olivia Holt) who become targets of Heart Eyes, a serial killer who stalks couples on V-Day. The wrinkle is that the two aren't actually a couple, and have only been mistaken for a loved-up pair. Chased across Seattle by the merciless masked murderer, they decide to fight back and stop the killer's reign for good. Oh, and of course, sparks fly. Watch on Netflix from May 8 Netflix's new comedy is looking to be as comforting as a homemade meal. This would be very apt, as the Vince Vaughn-fronted Netflix original flick is all about the joys of family, and the special sauce that can only be found in a recipe crafted by a loving grandmother. I doubt it'll be a critical hit, but viewers will surely eat up this easy-going movie with gusto. Vaughn plays Joe Scaravella, an Italian-American who decides to open a restaurant to honor his recently deceased mother. But this isn't any ordinary casual eatery; in this Italian restaurant, the chefs are actual grandmothers, preparing meals passed down through generations. Also starring Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro and Linda Cardellini, 'Nonnas' could be the Netflix equivalent of comfort food. Watch on Netflix from May 9 Before compiling this list, I can't say I was all that aware of Hulu's new raunchy comedy 'Summer of 69,' but after watching the trailer, and doing a little research, one thing has become very clear: This is most definitely not one you'll want to watch with your parents. The movie centers on Abby (Sam Morelos), an awkward high school senior, who lacks sexual experience. To impress her crush, she enlists the help of an exotic dancer (Chloe Fineman) to teach her the ways of seduction. Her quest to grow up results in loads of madcap fun, and several life lessons in friendship, self-discovery and acceptance are learned. While the smutty premise will likely draw the most headlines, this one looks like it could be oddly sweet — that is, if you can look past the sexually-laced gags. Watch on Hulu from May 9 If you're looking for something on Hulu that's a little less tongue-in-cheek, then you'll want to consider 'The Damned.' This folk horror had a limited theatrical release in early January and scored some very impressive reviews at the time (it's currently 91% on Rotten Tomatoes). Described as 'heavy on mood and existential terror,' horror fans aren't going to want to miss this dark tale that appears thick with a foreboding atmosphere. Set in the 19th century, Eva (Odessa Young) is a widow faced with a seemingly impossible choice. When a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing post, Eva and her crew make the callous decision not to intervene, fearing that their limited supplies would be stretched beyond breaking point should they welcome survivors. Racked with guilt and facing the unexpected consequences of this choice, Eva starts to believe an otherworldly force is punishing them for their inaction. Watch on Hulu from May 9 'Hard Truths' is a criminally overlooked drama that should have been a contender at this year's Academy Awards. Focused on the daily experience of Pansy (Marianna Jean-Baptiste), a quick-tempered and sullen woman, it packs laser-sharp writing and some of the most hilarious rants ever captured on film. But underneath Pansy's rage lies a deep sadness; only her optimistic sister (Michele Austin) provides a ray of light in her darkness. I won't mince my words: Jean-Baptiste is phenomenal in 'Hard Truths.' Her performance will leave you devastated. Pansy's plight is extremely sympathetic. 'Hard Truths' is often very funny, but it also speaks to the experience of intense loneliness that is all too relatable. It's a remarkable movie, and while its somber tone may prove too much for some viewers, I implore you to stick with it through to its extremely bittersweet ending. Watch on Paramount Plus w/ Showtime from May 12
Forbes
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Alex Garland's ‘Warfare' Arrives On Digital Streaming This Week
D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Joseph Quinn and Will Poulter in "Warfare." Warfare — director Alex Garland's critically acclaimed follow-up to his hit Civil War — arrives on digital streaming this week. Co-directed and co-written by Garland and Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza, Warfare opened in theaters on April 11. The official summary for the film reads, 'Warfare embeds audiences with a platoon of American Navy SEALs on a surveillance mission gone wrong in insurgent territory. A visceral, boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare and brotherhood, told like never before: in real-time and based on the memory of the people who lived it.' The ensemble cast for Warfare includes Charles Melton, Will Poulter, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Cosmo Jarvis, Joseph Quinn, Michael Gandolfini and Kit Connor. An A24 film, Warfare, per When to Stream, is expected to be released on digital streaming via premium video on demand on Tuesday, May 6. While When to Stream is typically accurate with its PVOD reports, the streaming tracker noted that A24 has not announced or confirmed the release date and it is subject to change. Warfare will be available on PVOD on such digital platforms as AppleTV, Prime Video and Fandango at Home. Prime Video has Warfare available for pre-order for $24.99, which is also the film's purchase price. The film's digital rental price is expected to be $19.99 for a 48-hour period since rentals are generally $5 less than purchase prices. Ray Mendoza, who designed the battle scenes for director Alex Garland's Civil War, told The Guardian in April that he was concerned about how his true-life tale of trauma was going to be told, but his worries went away when he partnered with Garland. 'I knew I had to be responsible,' Mendoza told The Guardian. 'The biggest fear was always somebody getting hold of it and changing it through creative license or because it doesn't fit into the traditional Hollywood grammar of moviemaking, but I had no reservations once I got to know Alex.' As such, Mendoza is grateful for having the opportunity to tell his and his fellow Navy SEALs' true-life story accurately. Asked by The Guardian about his feelings about war films in general, Mendoza said, "I feel not seen. It's actually embarrassing to watch them – they don't get our culture right, we don't speak that way. LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 01: Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza attend the "Warfare" UK Special Screening ... More at The Cinema In The Power Station on April 01, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Neil P. Mockford/Getty Images) 'People have asked, are you worried that Warfare may trigger veterans and active-duty military? I think it does the opposite. It's saying, you're not forgotten, you are seen. Oftentimes, what is more triggering is seeing what we go through not accurately represented.' Warfare earned wide acclaim from Rotten Tomatoes critics, who collectively gave the film a 92% 'fresh' rating based on 209 reviews. Warfare also received a 93% 'fresh' rating on RT's Popcornmeter based on 2,500-plus verified user ratings. Warfare has earned $21.8 million in domestic ticket sales and $4.6 million internationally for a worldwide box office take of $26.4 million to date against a $20 million production budget before prints and advertising costs, per The Numbers. Rated R, Warfare is expected to be released on PVOD on Tuesday.
Daily Mail
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Why this is the most brutally realistic war film ever made, writes RICHARD PENDLEBURY, who's reported on conflicts around the world for 25 years - and says the story of a unit under fire in Iraq has haunting lessons for Ukraine today
My first experience of being under direct fire happened while I was lying in an alpine meadow near Batusha, Kosovo, on a glorious spring morning in 1999. I'd taken cover next to an Albanian guerilla, as a furious, fully-automatic gun battle between his comrades and the Yugoslav Army erupted in the beech-wooded ridge above us. That debut bullet passed between our noses, which were no more than two feet apart. He'd just turned his face towards mine to tell me about his girlfriend in Canada. The round fizzed – I'll never forget the noise – rather than cracked, by us, because it had already travelled far enough to have slowed to below the speed of sound. But not too slow to kill. I was as much amazed as afraid. 'Would you like to swap places?' the fighter asked me, because he was a polite fellow and I was slightly closer than him to the beech-wood sniper. I said I would, actually. And so we crawled around each other in the lush pasture as more bullets flew by. With hindsight, mine was a genteel if not misleading introduction to combat. The dialogue could have been lifted from the kind of 1950s Second World War film that I watched on Saturday afternoon TV as a kid. But in the days that followed, and the subsequent quarter century spent reporting on many other front lines, I experienced the norm: ugly, horrifying, terror-stricken, profane, confusing, brutal, cruel. And very loud. Which brings us to Warfare. Yesterday afternoon, I sat in a cinema in Leicester Square, central London, and watched – was assailed by – this new and highly acclaimed film. It's been described as the most accurate portrayal of combat that has yet been seen on the silver screen. I left not quite knowing what I felt other than that I recognised it as some kind of truth. Warfare was written and directed by Alex Garland – English author of The Beach and director of dystopian thriller Civil War – and former US Navy Seal Ray Mendoza. It is based on the latter's service in Iraq, specifically what happened to Mendoza and his platoon one day in November 2006 in the city of Ramadi, 70 miles west of the capital Baghdad. Ramadi is in the so-called Sunni Triangle, Saddam Hussein's former heartland, and where the insurgency against the American occupation flourished following his toppling in 2003. Warfare is no vehicle for a matinee idol. The film is a stripped-down-to-bare-bones depiction – literally – of the kind of combat I have sometimes witnessed over 25 years of frontline reporting but have never seen depicted so convincingly on screen. Unlike other war films now regarded as classics of the genre, it eschews almost all extraneous detail. We learn little or nothing about the individual characters or their internal or domestic lives. There is no parallel storyline about a love interest or alcoholism as in the Second World War film Ice Cold In Alex. No Private Ryan to save, nor Colonel Kurtz to find and kill, a la Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam war epic Apocalypse Now. Nor broad brush historical context to put across, as in The Longest Day or A Bridge Too Far. It's simply about what happens when a handful of elite professional soldiers find themselves trapped for a few hours in a house in a very hostile neighbourhood, as a far superior number of enemies close in for the kill. Nothing much takes place for the first half-hour of the 95-minute long film. Then a grenade is tossed through a window and all hell breaks loose. This is cinema verité. Everything we see, happened, as far as the participants can remember. And some combatants have the lingering disabilities to support it. Yet what is really brought to the fore as never before is the physics of battle and killing – bullets breaking the sound barrier and penetrating flesh. What then happens to that flesh, and the bones beneath; the nerve endings. And how the victim and those around him respond to that impact. There is a lot of screaming and feverish radio traffic. As well as sustained gunfire in a confined space. It is a sensory overload. The death of an Iraqi translator, who is browbeaten into going into the firing line, ahead of his American colleagues, is appalling, degrading and depicted in vivid anatomical detail. He is blown to bits. His internal organs are on display. His other, scattered, body parts provide a backdrop to the rest of the action. Until now, the depiction of a functioning human being reduced to offal has been avoided, largely, in mainstream cinematic history. In Kosovo, I had come across a Yugoslav soldier decomposing in the grass as the artillery crashed around us. He was just a shape. A little later, I met a garrulous French volunteer sniper – armed with a .50 calibre Barrett rifle – who claimed to have once been an officer in the Foreign Legion. I'd spent an afternoon in a fog-bound forward position with him. The next time I saw him – hours later – his brains were spilling out. Cause? High-speed metal. It's the sort of incident that must have happened hundreds of thousands of times in real combat. But I'd never seen that detail before in a Hollywood war film. No doubt it was considered too disgusting for a Saturday matinee. Until now. The Sunni Triangle, by the mid-2000s, was a very uncomfortable place to be, for anyone. The Americans may have claimed victory in May 2003 but they were no longer in control. I hated Baghdad. From the moment you left the airport after a high-speed, stomach-churning descent to evade ground-to-air missiles, you were in a shooting gallery. It seemed that every other vehicle at the pick-up point – set back from the terminal to protect against car bombs – had a light machine gun poking from the tailgate, like an Avro Lancaster bomber, and a sign reading, 'Come any closer and you will be killed'. Most were picking up Western mercenaries. The rest of us just hoped for the best. On one of my first nights, having survived the airport road – the Americans named it Route Irish, after the Fighting Irish infantry regiment that was charged with securing it – the ceiling of my hotel room collapsed when a mortar landed in the street outside. Warfare captures the claustrophobic feeling of this totally dysfunctional occupation. The platoon enters the house at night and smashes its way noisily into an upper floor to get a better view of the area. By doing so, the Seals announce their presence to Al Qaeda units nearby. The die is cast. The innocent Iraqi families living inside the Seals' chosen observation point are corralled and warned to shut up. 'Nothing will happen to you,' they are told. It will, of course. In the film, the Iraqi civilians are treated with a degree of politesse. I remember it otherwise. At the time when the film occurs, I was working in Baghdad. Dodge City. Rightly, the Americans feared the worst. Death was on every corner. No Iraqi was trusted. For several days, I accompanied a cavalry unit as it patrolled. It was a nerve-jangling experience. The IED and ambush threat was sky high. At the end of each journey, the thighs of my trousers bore the sweaty imprints of my hands. One day, I returned to the American base to find my Iraqi driver waiting at the gate for me in tears of humiliation. The American sentry had told him to go away. When my driver argued that he was waiting to pick me up from an officially sanctioned assignment, the sentry levelled his M-16 at him and put a boot into his chest. When we spoke, he still had a clear print of the sole on his otherwise pristine shirt. He would be killed later in the insurgency, in circumstances that were never made clear. I suspect he was fighting the Americans. If so, I perhaps witnessed one of the catalysts for him to change his mind. The 19th-century Prussian Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke, said: 'No plan survives contact with the enemy.' In recent times boxer Mike Tyson refined it to: 'Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.' In Warfare, the Seals' plan is intact until the civilian street population suddenly recedes from their view, as seen through their sniper's murder hole, like the sea just before a tsunami hits. And the plan falls apart. The expression of disbelief on the face of one of the wounded Seals reminded me of the Libyan rebel fighter I encountered on the Brega front during the Libyan civil war. Stripped to the waist, he had taken a bullet just above his heart and the life blood was beginning to drain out of him. Intentionally or otherwise, Warfare illustrates the collateral damage – both in terms of material and the loss of hearts and minds – which the Americans' hard prosecution of the Iraq counterinsurgency had on the wider civilian population. God knows how the Ukrainians are managing to cope – or will do in the future. Last night I dreamed, as I often do, of kamikaze drones. Being chased into a ditch by one which hovered at my nose then moved in for the kill. Such is the psychological impact of time spent on the current Ukraine front line. Today, a platoon of Seals in a house would be bombarded by drones until their refuge collapsed.
