Review - War Machine

Length: 1hr 46 minutes

Director: Patrick Hughes

Starring: Alan Ritchson, Dennis Quaid, Jai Courtney

Production Company: Lionsgate

Genre: Action, Thriller

Where to Watch: Netflix

IN 1987, director John McTiernan paired Arnold Schwarzenegger with an alien warrior in the movie Predator. The action thriller film, known for its over-the-top action and bone-chilling thrills, established a formula in which an elite U.S. special forces team is pitted against an enemy that is not of this planet. It's a timeless formula whose DNA has been woven into a variety of other movies over the decades.

Now, Patrick Hughes, the director of Expendables 3 and The Hitman's Bodyguard, takes that formula and makes his own. Pairing Alan Ritchson of Reacher fame with the Predator formula turns out to be a winning one in War Machine, an action movie that combines the action-horror of Predator with the sci-fi weirdness of a Metal Gear game, making it a great watch.

I Want To Be An Army Ranger

War Machine is a sci-fi action thriller, not to be confused with the war comedy film starring Brad Pitt, and is also on Netflix. Alan Ritchson is an unnamed soldier, on a bus heading to one of the most intense training courses on the planet: The Ranger Assessment Selection Program (RASP). Deep in the mountains of Colorado, this unnamed soldier is given the number 81. 81 has a past he is trying to keep secret. He has been deferred from RASP multiple times but is determined to be a U.S Army Ranger.

On the final week of training, 81, and a team of Ranger recruits, embark on a special simulated mission. Completion means earning the Ranger beret and the scroll on their arm. During the mission, something mysterious appears, and a dangerous alien machine is unearthed. With no weapons, 81 and his band of Ranger recruits must use their minds and work to survive.

War Machine starts off as a pretty competent military thriller, showing the rigor of Army Ranger training. Only the toughest survive the grueling training and selection process. One by one, recruits drop, becoming non-selectable for the process. The movie does a good job of establishing the emotional core of the movie, and the various supporting characters that surround 81. The Ranger recruits have the typical personalities, with one character, 15, being the more comedic center of the movie.

Enemies From Afar

Alan Ritchson is quite the machine himself. The muscular 6'3" has made a mark for himself on Amazon's Reacher series, playing a former military police investigator and taking down criminal syndicates. With War Machine, Alan is the central star, and I'm pleased to say he has a solid performance. He isn't trying to be Arnold Schwarzenegger, and he isn't trying to be Jack Reacher either. He is his own action star in War Machine.

81's past is revealed in the early moments of the movie, and without spoiling anything, it isn't anything special, but it does provide the motivation for why he is determined to make it through RASP. The movie becomes a man's journey of redemption and avenging, wrapped around an exciting action thriller. It works and works well without overstaying its welcome.

The first half of the movie features the backdrop of military training and 81's struggle to make a connection with his fellow Ranger recruits. When the second half kicks in, and the alien machine arrives, War Machine kicks into very high gear, becoming slick and energetic with its grand action set pieces. Quickly, blood and guts fly everywhere as this extraterrestrial menace begins to track down the Ranger recruits.

Metal Gear

It's clear that someone in the production was a big fan of the Metal Gear games, namely Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. The alien machine, with its digit-grade legs, menacing height, and intimidating neon-red face, is clearly inspired by Metal Gear RAY and REX. Like the Predator and the Terminator, it doesn't need a name or a reason to be on Earth and hunt down soldiers. It is there to destroy, and ultimately, it will, with its devastating weapons

The visual effects are impressive. The machine has a neat design of its own, encased in grey futuristic armor with only red neon lights adorning its face. It's kind of as if KITT from Knight Rider was an enemy rather than a loyal companion. If there are any criticisms of the alien robot, it could have used more alien weaponry and maybe had something of a personality. At least in Predator, the alien took his mask off and had character. This machine in War Machine is specifically a seek-and-destroy robot, programmed to follow its programming.

Grand Spectacle

However, the action set pieces are a lot of fun and thrilling, even if it gets ridiculous and over-the-top. One particular sequence in crossing a river had me suspend my disbelief, but another sequence involving a chase inside a Guardian armored vehicle was tremendous chaos. The time between set pieces sees the team in the wilderness, with sweeping shots of the mountains and the raw, untamed nature. Interestingly enough, War Machine was filmed in Australia, and not Colorado.

War Machine isn't perfect. The movie is a little shorter than I would have liked. I feel one more good action sequence would have sweetened the deal. Dennis Quaid's character is relegated to the gruff, stern Commander with only a few lines and not much else to do in the movie. The same applies to Jai Courtney's character, 81's brother. I feel a few more minutes would have enhanced what is already there, but what is there works for the plot.

The War Machine is Here

War Machine feels like an old-fashioned kind of action movie with a sci-fi twist. You sit back and enjoy the spectacle, as wild and crazy as it may be. Alan Ritchson does a fine job carrying his own weight, and the movie, while the sci-fi threat is interesting and leaves much to be explored. War Machine is a solid movie and has the impression of being its own series. Let's hope that happens. War Machine is quite a good time. Remember, Rangers always lead the way.

WAR MACHINE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED