Is Warfare based on a true story? Real-life inspiration behind the film, explored

Warfare is the latest war film directed by the Civil War director Alex Garland and the Iraq war veteran Ray Mendoza. Those who have seen it can attest that it feels more like a documentary than a conventional war film. So, it comes across more like Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker than Steven Speilberg's Saving Private Ryan. It is a matter-of-fact depiction of soldiers caught in the middle of a war instead of a dramatized account of such traumatic experiences. So, it offers a more lived-in and authentic understanding of what it would be like to see the harrowing events unfold in front of your eyes.

Warfare feels realistic because it is inspired by the true story of the Battle of Ramadi in the war against Iraq. The film offers a recreation of the memories of co-director Ray Mendoza, a former US Navy Seal who was a part of this military operation. So, it becomes a re-enactment of Mendoza's grueling encounter with the insurgents that led to severe bloodshed and injuries. While speaking about his directorial approach, Garland told the New York Times,

“It’s memory-based and it’s subjective. I don’t think we can say everything you see is true, but what we can say is everything here is honest.”

What is A24's Warfare about?

The official synopsis for Warfare reads,

"It embeds audiences with a platoon of American Navy SEALs in the home of an Iraqi family, overwatching the movement of US forces through insurgent territory. A visceral, boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare, told like never before: in real-time and based on the memory of the people who lived it."

The film started as an idea during Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland's discussions during the production of Civil War, where Mendoza served as the military supervisor. The two decided to present the first-hand accounts of soldiers. Although focused on a specific incident, the film viscerally portrays the brutalities of war.

Who is Elliot Miller? The real-life inspiration behind the A24 movie explored

A still from A24’s Warfare (Image via YouTube/@A24)

The film is not focused on one single character and offers a rather all-encompassing portrait of war. However, it is dedicated to Elliot Miller, who served in the military with Ray Mendoza during the Iraq war. He was Mendoza's close friend, who tragically lost his leg and suffered a brain injury after the insurgents attacked their base. He appears in the end credits of the film.

Cosmo Jarvis (Shogun, The Odyssey), who plays Miller in the film, told the New York Times about his meeting with the real-life soldier.

“When he did show up, it was pretty profound. I find a lot of specialized professions fascinating, but this one is unique because the stakes can be the ultimate stakes. That’s something that as a civilian it’s hard to get your head around. We justdon’t have the understanding these guys have.”

What was Alex Garland's creative approach to co-directing Warfare?

Los Angeles Premiere Of A24's "Warfare" - Arrivals - Source: Getty

Alex Garland's production notes for the film reveal his directorial vision behind this film

“Long extended takes allowed us to float through spaces where people are doing things concurrently — we could pick up realistic details you cannot script. The actors were doing 12-minute take after 12-minute take, and wound up yawning, flexing, or scratching the back of their heads.”

While speaking about Ray Mendoza's valuable input, he said,