War Machine (2017)

Gen. Glen McMahon: Let's say you have ten insurgents. Huh? Now, let's say you kill two of 'em. Now, how many insurgents do you have left? Hmm? Hmm? Well, you'd say eight, of course. Eight. Right? Right? Wrong! In this scenario, ten minus two equals 20. Let's say the two insurgents you just killed, uh... each had six friends or brothers or some such, who are hovering on the brink of... of joining the insurgency. They're thinking about this insurgency thing. "Looks interesting. But, you know, for one reason or other, not for me." But... So, then you go and kill their friend. Now you've just made up their minds for 'em. Those hovering friends are now full, paid-up members of the enemy. Yeah. And so, in the math of counterinsurgency, ten minus two... equals 20.


War Machine is the latest in what I would call the evolving meaning behind our fascination with war.

My own simplistic understanding of the history of war films is as follows: (I have a US perspective on this.)

1. Early years through WWII (1930-50s): Patriotic -Us good. Enemy Bad. Nature of combat: noble and unmessy. We win. War just (no further explanation necessary).
2. About WWII- fantastic realism (1950s-60s): Adventure -Us good. Enemy bad. Nature of combat noble but an acknowledgement of loss and some suffering. We win. War just (some explanation required)
3. Vietnam (1960s-80s): Straight Up -Us good but deeply deeply flawed. Enemy mysterious, vicious, but not evil. Nature of combat: gruesome, horrifying, brutal; loss psychological and physical for all to see. We don't win. War is just (on some level with deep and disingenuous explanation)
4.  Reagan's Cold War, Gulf War, and Hegemony (1980s-2000): The Distance -Us good but understandably flawed. There is distance now between the experiences of the audience and the experiences of the military. Enemy implacable goons who tend towards evil. Nature of combat distant through planes, sniper rifles, missiles etc. less graphic consequences, acknowledged losses. We win (minor engagement) War just (on a moral level, but only so far)
5. Post 9/11 (9/11/01-2009): FirePower -Us good (small flaws), Enemy evil (no real explanation), outgunned but crafty, and unpredictable. Nature of combat distant, one sided, fewer graphic wounds, unequal numbers; 5 of us 100s of them. We win (tiny tiny engagement) War just (but cuz 9/11 that's about it)
6. Alice in Wonderland (2009-current) Meta -Us good folks, but folks, Enemy unknowable, indistinguishable from innocents. Nature of combat changes to stuff, logistics, supply chain, politics, tactical, distant. We win, but winning is not the end. War just (We think, We're not sure, but we say it is.)

War Machine is a clear category 6. It is a very unfunny satire, if it weren't, basically true...  The presence of information on war and about war has made everything complicated. There are no more binaries. There are no more battles. No true victory. Ashes.  And so, the films try and follow the story through the people and the process -which yields absurdity. Which is now the point. 

3.0 out of 5.  My Brad Pitt-athon rolled on.  I liked his style and voice.