Modern Warfare

Author(s): Zgamer

Location: ID

"Modern Warfare"

Directed by Paul Greengrass
Written by Paul Greengrass and Tony Gilroy
Based on the game “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare” created by Infinity Ward
Cinematography by Oliver Wood
Edited by Christopher Rouse
Music Composed by John Powell

Main Cast

Stephen Campbell Moore as Pvt. “Soap” MacTavish (SAS)
Ian Somerhalder as Sgt. Paul Jackson (1st Recon)
Daniel Craig as Captain Price (SAS)
Nick Stahl as Pvt. Ryan Patterson (1st Recon)
Andrew Divoff as Imran Zakhaev (Ultra-Nationalist)
Irfan Khan as Kahlad Al-Asad (Ultra-Nationalist)
Julia Stiles as Amanda Faron

Tagline: "The motive has changed. The war has evolved. The world will never be the same"

Synopsis: You’re watching Fox News.

::August 3, 2010:: Good morning. I’m Amanda Faron and this is Fox News. Tensions continue to rise as Day 2 of Operation Fox Hunter commences. President Walker ordered this police-action in response to the televised execution of Arabic President Yasir Al-Fulani by Kahlad Al-Asad and his Ultra-Nationalist sect in the Middle East. U.S. forces are attempting to capture Al-Asad and end this military coup to stop the reported random executions and ensure that the country’s oil supplies do not suffer collateral damage. Casualties have been reported for both sides, but as of now the U.S. Marine 1st Force Recon seems to have a control of the situation. Military officials refused to comment on what suspicions they have on why an insurrection would be held in such a small Middle Eastern country…

::August 4, 2010::…Reports have surfaced that the coup in the Middle East may in fact have been planned as a diversionary tactic. This began last night after a conflict within the borders of Russia. We bring you a clip from an earlier phone interview with British SAS Captain Price for details:

“…we have reasonable suspicion to accuse Russian Ultra-Nationalist leader Imran Zakhaev for funding and inciting Al-Asad’s coup in the Middle East. Last night, my team and I aided Russian Loyalists in liberating a small town from an overzealous Ultra-Nationalist garrison stationed here. Once the fight had subsided, evidence surfaced that led us to our accusation. As we found out, that bloke Zakhaev has been taking away rights from the folks here and has been increasing military patrols and executions to keep Russian citizens ‘in line’. However, Zakhaev is proving to be quite sneaky in concealing his movement across the country. The SAS will continue our investigation until we can find…”

::URGENT UPDATE:: This is a Fox News Alert. Reports of an explosion of great magnitude are coming out of the Middle East. The military is not announcing at this time what the casualty rating is, but we believe that many U.S. marines were stuck in the capital city where the explosion erupted. The most unsettling news, however, is that Ultra-Nationalist leaders Al-Asad and Zakhaev have made a televised threat that more missiles will be launched. No demands have been made. The U.S. military, aided by the British SAS, are now mobilizing to increase their search for Al-Asad and Zakaev. We will keep you updated with the details as often as we can…

What the Press would say:

Today’s wars are stronger, smarter and deadlier than they ever had been. We can’t fight gung-ho battles of World War II or unprepared wars like Vietnam. We have to be on our toes and one step ahead of our opponents at every moment. However, what if we don’t know who or what our enemy really is? This is one of the most relevant questions of our post 9-11 generation and it’s one explored in one of the most compelling and intense films of the year: Modern Warfare. Though based on a video game, people won’t think about that when they see what Paul Greengrass has done to the film.

Like “The Bourne Ultimatum”, Greengrass starts with a bang and never lets the tension stop. Set pieces are the name of the game in his direction, as he brings us moment after moment of amazing action sequences and cinematic moments. Some of them are awe-inspiring, some are frighteningly realistic, but all of them are expertly crafted and intelligently designed. The best example of this is the film’s first five minutes, in which British commandos infiltrate a cargo ship in the Atlantic to find a nuclear missile. Everything about it is so real that you feel like you are experiencing a live military operation, especially when the guns start shooting. And this is all before the main credits start, where the violent Middle Eastern coup takes place in the background. The rest of the film continues like this, as we are presented with many more intense sequences. We won’t spoil all the details, but we will say that you have not seen a nuclear explosion until you’ve seen the one presented here. It is moments like these Paul Greengrass lives for and it’s why he remains one of the best action/political thriller directors alive.

The story is presented in a very unique fashion that fits Greengrass’s style. All the scenes have a sense of immediacy, thanks to the superb editing throughout the film. The script is nicely written, with appropriate dialogue filled with military terms and soldier lingo. However, the most interesting aspect is the Fox News tie-ins that transition major scenes in the story. They appear in between moments of intense action, but are seamlessly edited so they never kill the tension. They are the most obvious moments of political commentary in the film, yet Greengrass does not take sides or use them for his own agenda. He presents a very real situation of a global conflict while showing how the media is used to not only communicate these events but also soften details so they can be more “digestible” for the public.

All of Greengrass’s technical details are top notch as usual, though the budget here is obviously much larger than he’s had before. It’s also apparent the U.S. army was very eager to loan props for the film, as the actors are appropriately equipped with the weapons you’d expect from the strongest militaries of the modern world. The cinematography and art direction are brilliant, as the subtle changes in lighting, backgrounds and colors really establish location as we travel across many spots around the world. The sound design is also astounding, with sound effects so real you feel like you are in the middle of the scene. And this all seamlessly blends with John Powell’s powerful and thrilling score, which, like The Bourne Supremacy, matches the intensity of the event going on at that moment.

While character development is not a dominant part of the film, this does not mean there isn’t a lot of great acting in this film. All the leads give competent performances throughout the film, proving that the training they went through in pre-production really paid off. From Moore’s naïve but courageous British soldier to Divoff and Khan’s malicious villains, everyone is very compelling. However, the strongest performer is the one with the least amount of screen time. Julia Stiles, playing Fox News anchor Faron, is superb in her pivotal role. She has a clean appearance, distinct mannerisms and a strong delivery of her lines. Yet you can sense she’s not always giving you the full story, and that’s what makes her so compelling.

Simply put, Modern Warfare is a must see. It’s compelling, exciting and thought provoking, which is exactly what a film should be.

Award Possibilties

Best Picture
Best Director (Paul Greengrass)
Best Adapted Screenplay (Paul Greengrass and Tony Gilroy)
Best Supporting Actress (Julia Stiles)
Best Cinematography (Oliver Wood)
Best Art Direction
Best Editing (Christopher Rouse)
Best Sound Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Original Score (John Powell)