War Machine

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1:49

War Machine

R

2026

1h 46m

Action

Sci-Fi

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

70%

Tomatometer

63 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

During the final stage of US Army Ranger selection, an elite team's training exercise turns into a fight for survival against an unimaginable threat.

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Critics Consensus

Providing Alan Ritchson an ideal vehicle to flex his brawny charisma, War Machine occasionally clanks when it comes to character depth but otherwise soldiers on to deliver an awesome dose of action spectacle.

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Craig Mathieson

The Age (Australia)

Mar 16

2.5/5

It's a science-fiction survival film – the Ranger candidates are carrying blanks – with trace elements of Transformers, Battleship, and Spielberg's War of the Worlds. Somewhat derivative, but modestly enjoyable.

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Frank Scheck

The Hollywood Reporter

Mar 9

The film’s R rating is well-deserved thanks to the profusion of burnt and dismembered bodies on view in the alien machine’s wake. Unfortunately, the screenplay by Hughes and co-writer James Beaufort leaves much to be desired.

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Benjamin Lee

Guardian

Mar 9

3/5

It makes for a slicker-than-usual streaming premiere, an easy, drink-your-way-through-it Friday night option for those who wish to remain entirely unchallenged.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

5d

2.5/4

...a briskly-paced actioner that benefits from a smattering of exciting sequences and Ritchson’s engaging, sympathetic turn...

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Jayne Nelson

Radio Times

Mar 23

3/5

That said, the film also delights in showing blood, bones and guts, so be warned if you're not in the mood for a glut of flying viscera.

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Erik Childress

Movie Madness Podcast

Mar 22

2/4

Substitute a giant metal robot spaceship entity for an ugly alien on the hunt and swap out Schwarzenegger for Reacher and you get the idea. While it certainly bloody enough to not just be another PG-13 FX spectacle it is still about as generic.

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Nathan J.

@NathanDirector 11h

Rating: 6.9/10 ⭐️ I expected a generic military flick, but the old-school alien survival vibe totally caught me off guard. What Worked: Morton’s camera uses the isolated forest to make the robotic threat feel massive. Ritchson brings a ton of grounded weight to 81, authentically portraying a guy with severe PTSD. Through my Methodist faith lens, seeing 81 refuse to abandon wounded comrades beautifully reinforced my beliefs about bearing burdens and sacrificial love. The Cuts: The formulaic setup meant the middle part really dragged for me; it was just spinning its wheels in the woods instead of developing lore. The other recruits felt super one-dimensional, acting purely as cannon fodder. Keeping it spoiler-free, the rushed final takedown relied on a convenient weakness that totally robbed us of a hard-earned payoff. Verdict: A fun, gritty throwback action movie. Solid if you want to see soldiers fight an alien machine, skip if you need a complex plot.

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Jeniffer C

@RT04930920 11h

Great movie, exciting and action all the time

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fitzgerald S.

@sinfile 13h

Really good pacing and action!! Overall a very good watch and hope they make a sequel!!

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Elia D

@RT91320329 14h

Already seen scenes and story. A mix of battleship, transformers and any other war movie.

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John S.

@ohreally 17h

I don’t believe there is a single scene in this that you haven’t already seen before in another film. The storyline does the same thing.

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Ben S

@RT00047044 19h

While not a great film, This was a "good enough" film. The acting was solid, but the writing left some things to be desired. Big plotholes if you're not carefully ignoring them. Overall it is watchable, and entertaining, but only a single time. That one time will be worth the time though.

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Patrick Hughes

Director

Alan Ritchson

81

Dennis Quaid

Actor

Jai Courtney

Actor

Esai Morales

Actor

Blake Richardson

15

War Machine: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

During the final stage of US Army Ranger selection, an elite team's training exercise turns into a fight for survival against an unimaginable threat.

Director: Patrick Hughes
Producer: Patrick Hughes, Todd Lieberman, Alexander Young, Greg McLean
Screenwriter: Patrick Hughes, James Beaufort
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Hidden Pictures, Huge Film
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 6, 2026
Runtime: 1h 46m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1

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