REVIEW: ‘War Machine’ Is A Solid Sci-Fi Action Outing For Alan Ritchson

War Machine is a science fiction action movie directed by Patrick Hughes (The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard) and written by James Beaufort and Patrick Hughes. After losing his brother to action in Afghanistan, Ranger Recruit 81 (Alan Ritchson, Reacher) seeks to overcome the lingering pain he carries due to this loss. He hopes that by keeping a promise made to his deceased sibling to join the elite of the US Military, he will quiet the dreams and do right by his brother. But the final test will prove far more deadly than anyone could have guessed when an alien mech lands in their operations area. 

The opening section of War Machine does a great job of introducing 81 and establishing his mental state before everything goes wrong. The event that took his brother’s life, as well as the back-breaking training he undergoes with the Rangers, is all funnelled through his viewpoint. He has a singular goal and a singular reason for doing it. But is that reason enough?

There is an impressive level of delicacy in how War Machine explores 81’s emotional turmoil. The strain it causes him and how those around him respond to it are varied, each feeling well thought out and executed. Even the training heads who want 81 to drop out for everyone’s safety don’t feel malicious in their stance. They know what he’s seen and that he hasn’t addressed it. And that’s dangerous for everyone. 

War Machine handles 81’s emotional trauma with great delicacy and care.

How 81’s internal struggles crop up during the mission-gone-wrong are played well, too. It is always presented in an emotional light, never feeling like a trauma moment is being played simply to raise the stakes. It showcases how unresolved trauma can continue to resurface, emphasizing the need to address it. Well, to a point.

Where War Machine leaves its protagonist at the end of the film is likely to be digested quite differently by different people. Whether or not 81 ultimately sets himself on the path to overcome his pain or merely dives into something to distract himself from it is left to the viewer to decide. Despite having some mixed feelings about how the ending resolves 81’s personal story, I’m at least happy that it doesn’t try to wrap up all his problems in a neat bow. Trauma isn’t something overcome by a moment of revelation that magically makes you fine. 

Another significant element that the personal narrative of 81 delivers wonderfully is how others perceive him because of his past. Stories have filtered through the ranks about 81’s former unit and what he did. How these stories color others’ perception of him, as well as how far they stray from the truth, deliver a powerful moment when they are brought up in 81’s presence.

What makes a hero? This is not an answer easily found in 81’s story.

This plot thread does a great job of exploring the often falsified nature of “heroes.” How their exploits can be exaggerated, or completely fake, and how the clashing realities can cause more pain for the object of worship. Surviving conflicts is never glamorous, and the only people who think otherwise are those who haven’t seen it. 

On the action side of the film, War Machine does a great job of presenting the peril posed by the nearly unstoppable juggernaut pursuing 81’s squad. The visual design of the mech is excellently done. Cold and devoid of personal touch, the machine exhudes a terrifying indifference. It exists only to hunt its prey, nothing more. 

The cat-and-mouse between the mech and the soldiers takes some interesting twists and turns, as the chase uses the film’s natural setting to create memorable moments. Mountain cliffs, raging rapids, and other elements are brought into the story to craft unique opportunities for tension and action. 

This creativity comes together best with War Machine‘s final resolution. 81’s plan is interesting and not too far-fetched. It allows the pursued hero to have his moment of role-swapping power, as he finally gets one up on the monster that has plagued him. This creates an infectious feeling of victory, one that anyone watching the moment unfold would be hard-pressed not to join in on. 

The only thing that undercuts the action to some degree is how many troops manage to survive as their pursuer blasts and bombards them. The number of falls, slams, and other forms of harm some of the cast take and survive is beyond incredible. The film does try to show its characters becoming worn down and scratched up from their many tribulations, but dried blood on a temple can only do so much to convince that a person is actually hurt. 

War Machine is a solid sci-fi action flick with a surprising amount of depth. It winds the two sides of its narrative together well, creating an enjoyable film that also speaks to the emotional toll of conflict, even if it doesn’t fully stick the landing. 

War Machine is streaming now exclusively on Netflix.