In the beginning, the story (we don’t really know if it has a story, yet), is set to be a very dark and realistic war film about survival. It takes a quick turn into a sci-fi movie that is not very well written. By utilizing an excess of special effects, the final result is something that looks very much like a comic strip! While having an exciting premise, the writing tends to detract from the overall believability of the project.

STORYLINE

This part of the world will feature a cadre of soldiers who are completing the Ranger Training selection process at the end of the training cycle to become RSS Rangers. The soldier with the biggest personality is only known as 81 (Ritchson). The training is severe on the body and mind and each candidate must use their training and instincts to get through physically and mentally tough conditions in a very remote area. The candidates are about to begin the last major training session of their selection process; it is designed to take them through the final phase of ranger selection. However, halfway through the training, they come across an alien weapon system that has fallen out of the sky (and is extremely large). They are no longer able to prove they can be elite soldiers; they must now run away from the alien machine that is trying to kill them!

The soldiers have relied on their training and instinct to survive until now. However, they are currently facing their greatest challenge and must learn to work as one cohesive unit in order to avoid being killed by an alien machine that is out to kill them. In order to survive, the soldiers must come together and assist one another to demonstrate teamwork at its greatest level possible. They must continue to utilize their training, instinct, and most importantly, one another in order to outsmart the alien hunting them.

POSITIVE POINTS

The biggest strength of the film lies in its realism. The film utilized the real locations in Australia and New Zealand for the majority of the film, which contributed to the wilderness realism. Ritchson’s performance is also a key success factor; his character is a soldier who is stoic but relentless and whose actions speak for themselves. The stunt work utilized throughout the film also contributes to its realism, with action sequences located in places such as rapids, mountains, and large explosions. The director of the film, Patrick Hughes, was able to film this sense of brutality in the environment of elite military training while also building tension before the sci-fi element is introduced.

NEGATIVE POINTS

The film has a strong beginning with realistic elements, however for some viewers the transition to a drama about military service to a science fiction survival thriller may be somewhat abrupt. The transition can feel confusing for those that were expecting a film about a 'war' story with realistic elements. Additionally, some supporting characters aren’t fleshed out enough to know the whole group of characters as a cohesive unit.

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Overall: War Machine is ambitious in the combination of both military action and sci-fi survival. Although the transition in genres may be divisive among audiences, the spectacular action, use of practical effects, and exceptional performance of Ritchson makes for an enjoyable visual experience.