A former Navy SEAL enters the war in Ukraine in an effort to rescue an aid worker who’s been taken by Russian invaders.
I have very mixed feelings about watching an action flick based on an ongoing, real-world, conflict. The film opens with a video call in which our film hero witnesses the kidnapping of his beloved niece by the invading Russian forces during the initial days of the invasion in Ukraine. He immediately taps into his available assets and goes on a globetrotting journey to bring her home. The whole thing is a “What If?” scenario with Liam Neeson’s Taken clashing with an actual event that we’re still seeing unfold to this day. Just typing that makes me feel mildly uncomfortable. The story unfolds like many other films that have released throughout the history of war movies and action flicks, but is it worth your time?
The movie comes to us from director William Kaufman, who also wrote the story with writer Paul Reichelt. Kaufman’s previous films might give you an idea of what you can expect from Man of War, as he gave us both The Marine 4: Moving Target and Jarhead 3: The Siege. His prior work with Reichelt includes the likes of Osiris, The Chapel, and Warhorse One. While their work previously focused on criminals and middle eastern terrorist groups, this time they focus on the invading soldiers of the Russian military. They don’t hold back either, with the lead villain of the film engaging in all kinds of abhorrent and evil acts. Unfortunately, I’m more than aware of the real evil that has been committed in Ukraine by invading Russian forces, and every villainous act in the film made my mind wander to what the civilians of the region are experiencing now. Watching a fictional hero enter that region to save the day initially feels hollow and surreal. Thankfully, he’s no super human and the story isn’t anything akin to Die Hard or Rambo. The dialogue is grounded, the action doesn’t go too over-the-top, and the film’s conclusion is about as authentic to the conflict as it could possibly be.
Our film’s hero, Connor, is played by LaMonica Garrett who’s previously worked with the creative team on the aforementioned science fiction military flick, Osiris. As an avid comic nerd, I recognized his name thanks to his role in the interconnected Arrowverse and the Anti-Monitor. This time around, Garret isn’t fighting an alien force or threatening the heroes of the DC universe. In Man of War, he’s a troubled veteran who takes the kidnapping of his niece seriously. He plays the role straight, and it works. I was happy to see a lack of one-liners and quips, save for a few that didn’t feel unnatural. Connor isn’t alone on his mission to bring his family together again. He’s accompanied by a couple of well armed mercenaries… Dany, played by Andrew Howard, and Bunny, played by Linds Edwards. Howard starred in this year’s take on The Odyssey while Edwards will most likely be recognized for his role in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. Edwards also starred in Osiris, which makes Man of War the return of an entire crew. Both of these actors also approach this subject matter with a straight approach. There’s no macho bravado on display, only men who are thrust into the forefront of war whether they wanted to be there or not.
With the premise out in the open, viewers can likely predict the kind of pacing and outcome that Man of War may offer. While it isn’t a deep film, and its setting might make you uncomfortable, it does deliver a bit of escapism with the traditional “good guy vs bad guy” scenario that could have easily felt cheap. Instead, the film is more like a reason to showcase the horrors of the Russian occupation in Ukraine. You’ll see the effects on the civilian population, the faces of the young men forced to fight to defend their home country, and a resolve that could only happen thanks to the fighting forces of the Ukraine military. Overall, Man of War is a serviceable action flick, but more importantly, a thought provoking look at a conflict that most people know too little about. That said, I’m not sure who to recommend this movie to. If you’re looking for a war movie, this may be too much of an action flick. If you’re looking for an action flick for escapism, the real conflict encompassing the plot may be undesired. For anyone who wants to check it out for themselves, Man of War is currently available on Blu-ray via Amazon thanks to our friends over at Well Go USA.
