Alex Garland is one of the most exciting voices in contemporary cinema, and his latest movie, one of the most realistic war movies ever made, is a must-see on streaming. Already in the conversation for the best war movies of all time, the new film brings a violent and terrifying edge to its examination of contemporary military occupation.

While some harrowing war movies are often hard to watch more than once, others show redeeming and hopeful tales of courage against the backdrop of some of the worst human-made horrors imaginable. Films like Saving Private Ryan remain spoken of consistently to this day for how they powerfully depict some difficult and complex scenarios.

Still, while these are films, it is important that the historical events that they depict feel authentic. Despite winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards, responses from Iraq veterans to The Hurt Locker were more mixed due to significant inaccuracies. Nailing that accuracy seems to have been a motivating factor behind this brand-new film.

Why You Should Watch Warfare Now That It’s Streaming On HBO Max

Warfare is one of the most powerful new war movies, and is now streaming on HBO Max. Written and directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, the new film takes a careful and experienced lens to events following the Battle of Ramadi during the Iraq War in 2006.

Most importantly, co-writer and director Mendoza is a former Navy SEAL who served during this conflict. The film draws from his own experiences of deployment and constructs them into a complex narrative that feels true to the horrors of the war itself. In the film, Mendoza is played by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai.

Rife with dangerous scenarios and examining the terrors of battle firsthand, the film has been praised for its dedication to craft. Reviews for Warfare have mostly been very strong, praising the tension that the filmmakers were able to create in the film’s darkest scenes, crafting an incredibly immersive and visceral spectacle.

Still, even with realism being placed at the core experience of the film, Warfare did receive some criticism for how the film’s sensationalizing could be read as propping up American imperialism during a complex political period. Following Garland’s previous commentary in the ending of Civil War, it is not clear if this was the intended message.

Regardless, Warfare is a powerful experience that must be seen to be believed. With an all-star cast of young male talent, including Shogun‘s Cosmo Jarvis, Gladiator II‘s Joseph Quinn, and Midsommar star Will Poulter, among many others, the new film is a must-see now that it is available on streaming.