Explosive
Summary
War Machine may feel like several other movies combined, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment. Alan Ritchson belongs in the action genre and is perfectly cast here. There is plenty of action with some spectacular explosions and firefights even if there is the odd bit of CG. This is still one of the better recent offerings from Netflix and worth a watch.
Plot: Follow the final recruits of a grueling special ops boot camp who encounter a deadly force from beyond this world.
Review: Maybe I’m being overly generous to War Machine after having an awful week at work, but I had a great time with it and when the end credits rolled I was in a much better mood than when it started.
Alan Ritchson is a born action star and this is exactly the kind of fare I like to see him in. War Machine feels like a mish mash of elements from Predator, Battle: Los Angeles and maybe even ED-209 from Robocop. It may be generic stuff, but it’s a lot of fun with some great action scenes; there are explosions every few minutes, shoot-outs and the alien machine is awesome.
I would have loved to have seen this on the big screen, especially IMAX with surround sound as the noises the machine made were like War of the Worlds.
War Machine is well paced clocking in at under 2 hours and has a decent cast that includes a (very small) role from Jai Courtney, Dennis Quaid and Esai Morales. This is Ritchson’s show and he shines as 81 (we never find out his name); he wants to join the Army Rangers after making a promise to his brother, but during training they are interrupted by a huge alien machine.
81 keeps his distance emotionally from the other Ranger candidates which makes him seem cold but as the story progresses, he learns what leadership is. It’s predictable at times and I did say a few lines of dialogue before they were said in the movie. It also just feels like a recruitment video for the Rangers.
The score was awesome with its huge percussion that really upped the ante during the action scenes and there is some genuine spectacle here.
I see reviews are pretty mixed for this, but I still had fun as it delivered exactly what I expected from it.
Overall, War Machine may not be anything new, but Alan Ritchson makes for a believable badass whose sheer determination keeps him reaching towards that finish line. There is plenty of action with regular explosions and shoot-outs making this a fun way to unwind this weekend.