One of the Best Action Movies of the Year!
Summary
Man of War lives up to its title, especially in the last 25 minutes which is all-out carnage. LaMonica Garrett makes for a badass lead and Daniel Bernhardt plays one of his most hateful villains to date making this a must-see.
Plot: A US veteran in war-torn Ukraine must protect civilians while rescuing his daughter from Russian forces.
Review: I always say a new film from William Kaufman is a bit of an event for me as I think he is one of the best action filmmakers working today. I’ve enjoyed every one of his films so far and I think Man of War might just be his best yet.
It stars LaMonica Garrett as an elite American Special Forces veteran called Connor operating in Ukraine during Russia’s invasion. While fighting to protect vulnerable civilians on the front lines, the stakes become deeply personal when his adopted daughter is kidnapped by Russian mercenaries.
Connor is tough as nails and any opponent would be right to fear him; he’s great with a gun, but also his fists even getting a showdown with the film’s villain Stanismir Koniev (Daniel Bernhardt). I think this is one of Bernhardt’s most hateful antagonists as there is nothing likeable about him at all. He is just a monster and you are counting down until he gets what he deserves.
What I love about this film and William Kaufman’s filmography in general is that the action is practical. That is a real tank and those are real explosions too. It just makes the action feel more authentic and the final 25 minutes is jaw dropping stuff. That’s when the movie earns its title as it’s just all out war.
It’s well paced rarely going more than a few minutes without a gunfight and it’s incredibly intense; you’ll need to sit in a dark room afterwards to get your breath back.
Overall, Man of War delivers on its title and then some making it one of my favourite action pictures of the year. If you want to support real action then you should check this out when it’s released on July 3rd.