#warmachine2026

What starts as a grounded war story slowly unfolds into something far more unexpected

SPOILER AHEAD BEWARE → Reader's discretion is advised

So last night, I was scouring the web for any recent or old gems to watch to kill the mighty boredom. Thankfully, I found a recommendation from a movie buff I follow in a movie review group.

The post did not talk about spoilers or plot points. Heck, it did not even mention the synopsis. It was more about how much he genuinely liked the movie. That was already interesting to me, considering it is pretty rare for this person to give an all-out positive comment on a film, especially action movies, which he seems to be inherently indifferent to.

At first, I was not fully convinced that it was the right pick. But then I noticed that the actor was Alan Hitchson, who happens to be trending right now because of that unfortunate run-in with his neighbor. As it turned out, the neighbor was apparently the real jerk, or so they say. That was enough for me to decide to finally give it a watch. So what movie is this?

This movie is called War Machine. Coincidentally, I had been jonesing for an Army or War movie like Black-hawk down or Hacksaw Ridge. At first, I thought this was exactly what I was looking for. The setup certainly pointed in that direction, and it initially felt like it was building toward a military inspirational story. Lo and behold, around a quarter of the way in, the movie took a sharp turn into sci-fi, with a malevolent Alien twist.

There is apparently a super advanced war machine that torments the protagonist and his comrades. Then suddenly, something about the alien robot in War Machine immediately hit me with a wave of nostalgia. The moment I saw it, I could not shake the feeling that I had seen this kind of machine before. It heavily reminded me of the Deathbringer from Horizon Zero Dawn, and honestly, that comparison made the whole thing even cooler for me. Here is what a Deathbringer looks like below:

and here's what the alien machine in the movie looks like:

What stood out most was the design. The massive, weaponized look, the intimidating presence, and that cold, mechanical menace all gave off the same kind of energy that made the Deathbringer such a memorable enemy. It was not just that both are giant hostile robots. It was the atmosphere they create. They feel powerful, ancient in a weird sci-fi way, and built to destroy without hesitation.

That is what made the resemblance so effective for me. It brought back the same excitement and tension I felt while facing the Deathbringer in Horizon Zero Dawn. Seeing a similar machine in War Machine felt like a callback to one of the most striking robot designs in recent gaming memory. Whether intentional or not, the resemblance worked. It sparked that same old thrill, and that is a rare thing.

In the end, the robot in War Machine did more than just look intimidating. It reminded me of a game that left a strong mark on me, and that kind of nostalgia always lands hard.

So yeah, apart from the story being relatively simple and some lines being cheesy and kind of poorly written, the cinematography was great. I have to say, Netflix is really stepping up its game. I can tell they are going toe-to-toe with Columbia Pictures (Sony)’s legacy in films like Black-Hawk down and, more appropriately, Battle: Los Angeles.