Alan Ritchson is best known for playing Jack Reacher in Prime Video’s hit series. He’s big, powerful, and a commanding presence; a throwback to the machismo-fueled action movies of the ’80s. It’s also what makes him perfect to lead War Machine, a full-throttle flick about a squad of Army Ranger recruits battling a mechanized death machine.
The thing about War Machine is that it begins like a grounded military drama, something in the vein of Full Metal Jacket. But when director Patrick Hughes pulls the ripcord, this thing absolutely explodes with concussive force.
This was no easy shoot for either Ritchson or Hughes, the latter known for his incredible work in this genre on Red Hill, The Expendables 3, and The Hitman’s Bodyguard. In my interview with both, they talk about the punishing production, with Ritchson calling it the toughest of his career. Hughes also talks about the origin of the story and the influences that went into shaping it. I was getting Predator vibes the whole time, and considering that’s one of my favorite movies ever, that’s not a bad thing!
War Machine hits Netflix tomorrow, March 6th!
