War Dogs

Rating: 10/10 (20 August 2016)

I was so hoping that War Dogs, would be a breakthrough film for writer/director Todd Phillips, much in the way that last year's The Big Short, was not only the most mature film of writer/director Adam McKay's career, but it was also what I would consider to be his best film and it even won him an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, amongst other nominations and honours that the film received. I say this because up till this point, both Phillips and McKay had been known mostly for lowbrow comedies that were obnoxious, crude and featured very juvenile humour and antics which would probably appeal to teenagers and maybe guys in their early 20's, but after that the appeal would greatly diminish within older and more mature viewers. I admit and I have my reviews on this site to prove that I have liked past works by both these directors, but again they were just amusing comedies that I would see once and then probably not bother with again and while humorous and entertaining at the time, they would have no lasting impact, or affect on me other than having a few chuckles amongst the other filmgoers at the theatre. McKay broke through this barrier last year with The Big Short, and now he has plans to do other more serious and yet entertaining films like one he has lined up with Jennifer Lawrence, and while I am sure he will still do his immature comedies, he has proved that he can and has the ability to do more serious and ultimately much better work. Having now seen War Dogs, I can safely say that not only has Phillips shown his truest talent as a writer, director and ultimately as a filmmaker, but I also think like McKay he has made the best film of his career. War Dogs much like The Big Short, focuses on real people and events that unfold before our eyes and the film is very satirical at times and also gives a good commentary on things such as how these two young men could have conned the American government the way they did and basically how easy it was for them to get filthy rich and do so under everyone's noses, or without them being aware. The film looks at war and weapons and how the American government goes about it's daily business with these types of foreign affairs and activities and the filmmakers here give a very critical and sometimes scathing look at such things showing that as voters, citizens and everyday people, we really sometimes have no clue as to what our government officials are up to, or what goes on behind the scenes and it also leaves one thinking that these people must not always be completely competent, or on top of things the way they should have been because otherwise we wouldn't have a film like War Dogs, or a true story and events such as this film depicts because anyone who knew what was going on would have put an end to it a long time ago, or so I hope. The film is just as good as any political spoof, or skewering by offering up many things for us as viewers to both be amazed and horrified at in equal measures. All the while though, Phillips proves he can tell a good story and both make an impact with it and completely engulf us into the world of arms dealings and the seedy goings on that these characters were involved in. The film can be quite humorous at times both in crude ways which Phillips still knows how to do, but yet he improves upon here and yet the film is so riveting that while not a thriller we are still so fascinated by what is going on in front of us that it would be a major mistake to leave the theatre even for a couple minutes and dare miss a second of this riveting story unfolding before us. The film's script is sharp with both it's quite perceptive and sometimes painfully accurate criticisms of what these two men did as well as the failure at the time of the American government, but it also raises good questions about what anyone would resort to and what depths, or lows we might go to in order to make a name for ourselves and be filthy rich even if it means facing major consequences. The acting here from the whole cast is also excellent and some of the finest work of both Jonah Hill and Miles Teller. Phillips has proved he can make one great film and I hope like McKay they continue to make serious and thought provoking films of a higher quality like this and not just go for the easy, or stupid laughs like in the past because in both cases that would be more or less selling themselves out and isn't that basically what they were both against with these two movies? I hope they will continue to work seriously, but as it stands, War Dogs is one of this year's finest achievements and overall best films.