War Machine is a compelling and multi-faceted masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (26 May 2017)

War Machine is a profound and politically socially resonant absurdist modern masterpiece that our world needs right now. Brad gives a brilliant, canny, zany, but dark portrait of a general who is undermined by his own hubris, lack of awareness, but also underscored by the flaws of the industrial military complex.
This is by far David Michod's best movie and it breaks my heart that a biased agenda against this film is really causing it to be underrated and maligned. War Machine is leagues above Fury and a number of Brad's most recent movies. This is a compelling and deft insight into military policy and the negative ramifications of occupation/war that the audience rarely sees in movies. It deconstructs the ignorant and yet earnest or possibly well intentioned mechanics of war and invasion. It revels in the gray area of the futility and irony of war.
The cast gives impressive performances across the board. Lakeith Stanfield, John Magaro, Topher Grace, Anthony Michael Hall, Meg Tilly, and the entire cast give great performances. I wish the film would be nominated for a SAG ensemble because the acting is strong and bold across the board. It is one of Brad's top performances ever. War Machine is an anti-establishment and relativist film in nature. There are no traditional antagonists or protagonists to root for. It will get under the skin of liberals and it will anger the extreme conservatives.It is not for the far right or even the far left. This film is enthralling for people who truly understand it. It is an intellectual and emotional journey for the invested viewer who is on the same wavelength.
The cinematography from Dariusz Wolski is amazing and the original score from Nick Cave is hauntingly beautiful. The film was so profound and engaging for me. I am very shocked about the reviews, I knew there would be a hateful fringe faction. I know there are critics who are very biased against Brad's movies but they are doing a disservice to the film industry by attacking a film they do not want to understand or accept. It appears they are too invested into making War Machine a controversial debacle for Netflix. Ten years from now or even 20 years from now, this film will be viewed as powerful.
All of the dialogue is sharp, multi-faceted, and full of very strong context for people who comprehend the meanings/references underneath. It is humorous and engaging but it require a special kind of intelligence and a certain sociopolitical attitude to truly embrace it. I found myself nodding along in agreement every time the script kept going on about the ramifications of invading countries and it even addresses what the people in Afghanistan has to go through. " You can't help people and kill them at the same time", is a perfect tag line. It is a tonally blunt satire about the military and the current inadequate foreign policies that will wake people up. This film resonated with me very profoundly. Brad's performance displays the ignorance and humanity of the General, while displaying a range of both dramatic and sly comedic overtones that is very tongue in cheek. This film is very impressive and should have been a top Oscar contender given how timely and crucial the subject material is right now.
This is a intelligent movie about a stupid war where there are no winners.
I am disgusted that American Sniper and Hacksaw Ridge received such strong critical acclaim while the biased critics are tearing apart an excellent film like War Machine to shreds. War Machine is our generation's Dr. Strangelove. People may not realize it now but cinemaphiles and historians, in the future, will realize that War Machine was ahead of its time and an incendiary portrait of war in America while being revolutionary its in sardonic attitude about America's foreign policy at the time. David Michod is a genius.