I often find it fascinating when Hollywood teams up with the US military to promote propaganda or even to inform us about historical secrets that have long been buried. For her feature directorial debut, Hailey Gates takes a sH๏τ at showcasing a very real fake place, known in her film as “the box,” which sees the construction of an Iraqi and Afghan village with the intent to train US soldiers. Atropia
, set in a near 9/11 timeframe, takes a satirical approach, calling out its farcical design of hiring ethnic people to train soldiers to invade their homes.

The story follows Fayruz (Alia Shawkat), an Iraqi-American aspiring actress who has been hired to play a civilian in a war-prep simulation. Desperate to be discovered by Hollywood, Fayruz has taken it upon herself to teach her fellow actors how to give the best emotional performances. Though she isn’t fluent in Arabic, she understands it very well, which makes her an ᴀsset on set. However, she is frequently upstaged by castmates receiving more prominent roles or even by her Mexican castmate who often accidentally cites some of her lines in Spanish.

Atropia Transitions From War Satire To Romantic Comedy…

But Oddly Enough, It’s The Film’s Strength

Throughout Atropia, there is a running gag of ridiculousness played out when military personnel show up. There’s even a sequence during which a major movie star shows up as a cameo to train for his own war film (within this film). Everyone, including Fayruz, attempts to vie for his attention. Admittedly, the entire sequence is hilarious, but his departure feels as hefty as his cameo, resulting in lost momentum for the film’s humor. At this point, the film also transitions into one that neglects its deeper commentary to explore an odd romantic side plot.

To dig deeper into its realistic setup, the simulation directors (Chloë Sevigny and Tim Heidecker) bring in Abu Dice (Callum Turner), a veteran who seemingly wants to return to war as soon as possible, to further train the soldiers. Clearly, the Afghan animatronics, the presence of fake news outlets, and even the smells of war weren’t enough to fully prepare the soldiers. Dice’s presence shifts the focus of the script from Hollywood’s weird military partnership to an apparent forbidden love between an actress and a trainer. What if I told you that this romance is actually the strength of Atropia?

Fayruz and Dice spark interest in one another gradually. In a short monologue about how the working conditions have not enabled Fayruz to get a proper shower, Dice takes notice. At a later moment, he surprises her with a sponge bath to “wash her like a dirty dish,” which is an inside joke between the two that actually turns into a super sweet sequence. This scene almost feels as if we’re invading their privacy. Yet, the script keeps its lighthearted tones to ensure that nothing is taken too seriously.

Ali Shawkat Carries The Emotional Weight Of The Script In Her Standout Performance

Perhaps that’s also the downside to Atropia. Despite the various themes it could’ve explored, they’re merely brought up in a few conversations then glossed over and forgotten. The creation of warlike smells, the poor working conditions, and the forcing of visitors to dress in authentic attire are all mentioned or shown in pᴀssing. Yet, they’re never explored fully to get us to reflect deeper. This is no discredit to Gates, who clearly did her research and even wanted to make an authentic documentary. However, the Department of Defense blocked her access to important training features.

Even with the limitations, Gates makes do with the budding romance between Fayruz and Dice. Shawkat, in particular, is so great at managing multiple layers of her character. A desperate actress, a woman who misses her family, all while fighting against her feelings for a man who was hired to destroy her home. Even when the script does not hammer home its layers, it is Shawkat, with all her star power and prowess, who carries the emotional weight of the film to ground all its silliness. Turner, who is also great in his own right, has excellent chemistry with Shawkat.

As ridiculous as Atropia sounds, the film contains so many great moments that will keep any curious viewer glued to the screen. Not everything works and the humor tends to run its course, but Gates puts a solid effort together given the limitations. While the layers of Atropia may seem like they lead to larger commentary, these moments tend to die out quickly. Thanks to great performances from the two leads, it’s still worth the watch. It isn’t the greatest satire ever made, but Gates’ feature is like a one-stop shop for mockery and education with some fun in between.

Atropia premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.