*This article contains spoilers
Double entendre is a word or phrase that has two meanings or interpretations. Nothing could be more true than the title of the #1 movie on Netflix right now, War Machine. This movie is about a war machine, but after seeing this thriller, it may not be the war machine you think.
For anyone who has seen the Netflix show Reacher, you would recognize the muscular, intimidating, and masculine dude, Alan Ritchson. Ritchson plays an Army engineer with a sad and scary military past. This movie is a sci-fi action survival thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the opening scene to the credits. The four categories this movie is going to be rated: originality, thrill aspect, visuals, and the overall movie itself.
The movie begins with Ritchon’s character being involved in a tragic military accident. His brother is severely injured, and Ritchson carries his brother 10 miles and collapses 100 yards from help. He is found unconscious, and his brother is dead. Ritchson couldn’t get him to the finish line. The brothers dreamed of becoming part of an elite military division: the Army Rangers.
After the accident, Ritchson rehabs and trains to see his dream come true, getting accepted to the program. All the Army Ranger candidates are referred to not by name, but only by number, meant to reinforce they are not individuals, but a team. Ritchson becomes number 81. Throughout the program, candidates are weeded out and let go. Ritchson is so laser-focused on getting through the program that he makes no friends and takes no leadership role. The commanders notice this and threaten to cut him from the program. For the final test before crossing the finish line and completing the program, the remaining candidates need to complete a 24-hour challenge. Because his commanders think he only wants to accomplish training for himself, they make the reluctant 81 the leader of the mission, forcing him to be part of the team.
This is when the movie takes a surprising turn. What started as a common military movie turned into an insane alien sci-fi film with unexpected twists and turns. In the process of completing their final mission, the team sets off explosives on something they believed to be part of the mission, but turns out to be an alien machine tasked with destroying everything in its way. Members of the team immediately get vaporized, and the alien sets off chasing the remaining team members through the wilderness. One of the team members is seriously injured, and the living members do everything they can to carry him along the way. The alien machine is relentless and eventually takes out the entire team except for Ritchson and the injured team member.
Being an engineer, Ritchson devises a plan to lure the alien machine into a quarry. He uses a huge bulldozer to push the machine under a quarry rock machine and fills the alien machine with rocks, “choking out” its breaching mechanism, and ultimately destroys the machine. He carries his injured teammate back to base, where everyone is scrambling to fight back against the aliens. Ritchon is told there are 100’s of these machines all over the world, and his information will help destroy these machines and save thousands of lives. It seems like the aliens sought to send their war machines to destroy the world, but they ran into 81, the real war machine.
Now circling back to the four categories this movie will be rated on (originality, thrill aspect, visuals, and overall movie).
Originality: This movie is original as it turns from what seems to be a generic military film into a worldwide war sci-fi rollercoaster. There are many other high-octane war films, but the alien war machines put together a unique mix, keeping you on the edge of your seat. Even though there are soldiers vs. robot movies out there, this movie has a stronger story behind it with more meaning and human interest. Overall, I will give the originality seven stars out of 10.
Thrill aspect: Survival films like this one need a constant pressure that keeps you guessing the whole time. Throughout the movie, there was always something going on, from the characters jumping off waterfalls to fight scenes on the edge of cliffs. There was no lack of thrill at any time in the movie. The shocking thrill and terrible thought of the future of what might happen kept you entertained the whole time. Overall, I will give the thrill aspect nine stars.
Visuals: In today’s day and age, the bar for clean-looking CGI for movies must be top tear. The visuals for a movie need to be exciting and engaging, and War Machine did not disappoint. The gritty and raw moments in the movie showed the devastation of war and, at times, almost made me look away from the screen. You may wince at the screen as members of the team are brutally taken out by the alien war machine. It gives you a sense of the pain inflicted on the characters and what they were going through.
In contrast to the horror of war, the beauty of the film is also amazing. Primarily shot in Victoria, Australia, with amazing landscapes and views. Most importantly, the special effects brought the alien robots to life. The robots in the movie look realistic as they walk around reining terror on everything in their path. This is impressive, especially because it’s not just special effect characters, but also the explosions that come to life on the screen. Overall, I will give the visuals a nine stars as well.
Overall movie: This movie was exhilarating and unexpected. All of the aspects rated hit all the boxes. If you are a fan of action movies, War Machine would be right up your alley and something you would enjoy with a friend and a bowl of popcorn on a Saturday night. In the movie, some parts are definitely for a mature audience, so it would not be a movie that you would watch as a family. Even though there are some downsides, this movie’s story was amazing and definitely hit some of the heartstrings of certain viewers. Showing the heart, human spirit, and will to succeed could bring a tear to their eye. The movie is engaging and thought-provoking. Now taking all of this into consideration, I will give this movie eight stars out of 10.
The biggest takeaway from this movie, who is the war machine, the man or the machine? War Machine is an amazing movie. It sets itself up well for a sequel and leaves the watchers wanting more, yet still leaves you satisfied with the ending.
