Summarize and humanize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in English
Military veterans planning to see “Warfare” on the big screen will get a special thanks for their service — in the form of discounted tickets.
Beginning this weekend, AMC, Cinemark and Regal, three of the largest movie chains in the U.S, will honor discounted tickets to the A24 movie for anyone with a military ID at their theaters nationwide.
“Warfare” embeds audiences with a platoon of U.S. Navy SEALs on a surveillance mission gone wrong during the war in Iraq. The film is co-directed by Alex Garland (“Civil War,” “Ex Machina”) and Ray Mendoza, whose real-life experience during the harrowing 2006 mission serves as the basis for the movie. The 94-minute film takes place in real time and is an intense, visceral recreation of events, based on the memories of those who were there. “Warfare” is dedicated to Elliott Miller (played by Cosmo Jarvis), who was wounded in combat during the operation.
The film opened domestically on April 11, and 70% of theatergoers were military veterans or had military affiliation, and their overall sentiments about how accurately the film captures the war experience have been largely positive. One military spouse wrote an email to Mendoza, sharing how the film helped her understand what her husband had endured. “After 23 years, he finally shared his story with me,” she wrote. “It was a conversation that needed to happen, but neither of us knew where to start”
This demographic data was perhaps no surprise to the filmmakers or the studio, who made a concerted effort to center veterans as they rolled the movie out.
In March, the film had its first public screening at the American Legion Theater in Los Angeles for an audience of veterans. Then, in addition to the regular pomp and circumstance of red carpet premieres in Los Angeles and London, Garland, Mendoza and the “Warfare” cast also visited markets in Virginia, Florida, Texas and San Diego, all of which have a significant military population. Following the L.A. premiere, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (who portrays Mendoza), Will Poulter, Kit Connor, Jarvis, Michael Gandolfini and Charles Melton joined Mendoza, Garland and Miller visited the Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, Calif. and screened the film on the base.
“It’s been a therapeutic process,” Mendoza told Variety about watching his and his fellow servicemen’s story translated onto the big screen. “It’s been a roller coaster.” There’s been crying, there’s been laughing, there’s been anger, frustration, there’s been a lot of emotions, especially something of this magnitude that changed our lives when we were young. We all came together to do something really awesome.”
Added Garland: “It was really powerful. It was one of the most acute, fascinating learning experiences of my working life. I appreciated every minute.”
“Warfare” stars Will Poulter, Charles Melton, Kit Connor, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Michael Gandolfini and Cosmo Jarvel with Elliott Miller at the Naval Base San Diego on March 29.
Jordan Strauss/JanuaryImages
