Máquina de Guerra

This film tells the story of an ambitious army general, who is posted to Afghanistan to run the mission to fight insurgents. It becomes apparent very soon that various parties have not aligned their goals and missions.

"War Machine" tells a story of an enthusiastic man who is stuck in a web of bureaucracies. The story unfolds slowly, and at times it looks like a satirical look at a system that is supposed to serve and protect the public. The cameos are plentiful, making me pleasantly surprised. Though I find the film a little uneventful, I can see that it parallels what exactly is happening in the story to the characters.

First off, the criticism is too harsh. From a directorial aspect, this is not a perfect movie. Yet the movie clearly goes over the head of some people. There are numerous laughs big and small scattered through the movie where you laugh at the absurdity of the characters and the unfolding of events. At times it also gets informative and at times drama-serious. When the movie ends you feel like to have gone through a journey with General Glenn McMahon, an inside look into the relationship and mechanism of America's war in Afghanistan.

War Machine delivers its message and will prompt you into thinking. The pacing is slower at times but then catches the speed. Great chemistry between the cast with solid performances. Brad Pitt is excellent, giving a unique and strong performance that radiates as the film goes on.

An absurd story at an absurd time, this is a unique movie worth watching for its theme and characters.

I watch the movie the day it released. I should say its entertaining and partially funny. I saw lots of people here are very negative about the movie, well, that's a reality of the US/NATO operations in Afganistan!

I like this sentence from the movie: "We cannot help them and kill them at the same time."

War Machine - A satirical but honest look at the treadmill of war.

First off, Brad Pitt is essentially a caricature in this movie. I kept going back and forth on whether he was brilliant or miserable in his performance. I found myself feeling the same way I did when seeing him in Allied late last year. There are scenes when he is absolutely dialed in to the role and what's going on around him. And there are a handful of scenes where you'd think someone is just reading him his lines off-screen. He's been frustratingly inconsistent these last two outings.

I had no trouble deciphering the performance level of the surrounding cast, as they all came to play. From the big names of Ben Kingsley and Tilda Swinton, to still familiar names of Anthony Michael Hall and Topher Grace, I was impressed. My favorite performance would have to go to one of the smaller roles played by Lakeith Stanfield. I'd seen him earlier this year in Get Out, but he had a better opportunity to shine here as an absolutely emotionally broken marine.

The first half of the film is very quirky and actually has some pretty funny lines. The second half all but abandons the comedic tone and shifts into a full fledged war drama. The end result is satisfying, but that contrast is pretty jarring. It would have been more successful to mix the paint a bit more or just choose one color.

Netflix pulled out the big guns putting up $60 million for the distribution rights to the film. Later this year they are also backing a loose follow up to 2009's Moon (please see this underrated film if you haven't already) and breaking the bank with a $100 Martin Scorsese film with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in 2018. Netflix is quickly changing the game in the world of cinema. Don't be surprised to see the awards shows tweak their rules to allow for streaming content down the road.

So pop some popcorn and reserve your couch to see this film of grandiosity and failure. Not exactly your typical recipe to Netlix and Chill, but I'm not one to judge.

Everything I saw about the movie before I saw the movie pointed to a bold critique of US foreign policy and war politics, so I didn't expect an action filled nail-biter. It did deliver what I expected, and did so phenomenally. The issues the movie brings up and the things the characters said really, truly couldn't have been said more openly and directly. As the narrator would have you know, it's going to fall on deaf ears where it matters the most, granted, but it's one heck of a catharsis session all the same.

Where the progression of events gets too slow, the brilliant acting comes to the rescue. Pitt's performance didn't look to me as smooth and believable as it used to be, but Tilda Swinton and Ben Kingsley blew my mind. With their impeccable accents and spot on mannerisms, it was near impossible to tell they were just actors (save for their very familiar faces). There were a few pretty funny lines, too.

To anyone who doesn't mind listening to dialogue and watching out for subtle goings-on, this movie is a must, MUST see.