In the final stages of the U.S. Army Ranger selection process, a training exercise for an elite team turned into a battle for survival against an unimaginable threat.
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A popcorn movie, the first half is alright: the camaraderie between comrades, the trauma of war, and wilderness survival have the realism of a hardcore military film. The alien robots have a very futuristic design when they first appear, and the chase and battle in the jungle is intense, with all sorts of technology on display.
But the second half is a bit idiotic—the protagonist, unarmed and without even a gun, manages to defeat the invading alien robots with just an excavator, which is absurd.
If the film had explored themes of brotherhood, war trauma, and military honor, it could have been a profound work. However, it ultimately relied solely on the protagonist's halo and individual heroism, dragging the film down to a purely commercial, action-packed spectacle.
Upon seeing the arrogant line in the film, "The Chinese only know how to copy us," I instantly switched sides and sided with the aliens. Even more absurdly, the US military, despite using all sorts of high-tech weaponry, was helpless, ultimately winning only through a crude method reminiscent of the old Chinese folktale of Zhang Ga blocking a chimney. Of course, the most ironic part of the film lies in its title: everyone knows that the real machine of aggression is the Americans themselves, waging wars everywhere and pursuing hegemony. Making recruitment ads to rake in money worldwide while arrogantly belittling other countries—hypocritical and laughable.
This film blends elements of films like Predator 1, Dog Soldiers, War of the Worlds, Primal Wars, Black Hawk Down, and Battle of Los Angeles. Those who enjoy these genres should find it enjoyable. Strengths: Fast-paced, well-made, and logically sound. Weaknesses: Common pitfalls of genre films, limited scope, and a lack of rigorous setting. Conclusion: A decent, enjoyable, and high-quality online film of its kind, a mid-to-high-tier Netflix production. Instead of producing "over-the-top garbage" for big-name directors and stars, Netflix should focus on consistently producing more of these quirky, nerdy films.
What a wonderful American-style epic about personal growth and transformation! The world is under invasion, and the enemy is incredibly powerful, but the enemy isn't important. What truly matters is that the warrior overcomes his inner demons, grows stronger, and never gives up. No matter how powerful the enemy, it's not a problem. The Rangers (American-style warriors) aren't cold-blooded killers; they are flesh-and-blood, yet powerful, human warriors.
The brutality of the bulldozers "raping" the alien mechs somewhat overshadows *Aliens* and *Predator: Killing Grounds*, but the script and military details are inferior to *Battle: Los Angeles*, which is like a sci-fi version of *Black Hawk Down*. However, this kind of "Friday night movie" should be a must-watch for Chinese commercial filmmakers, who, aside from *The Wandering Earth* and *Warriors of Future*, are filled with old-school, rural, and artsy types, because for thirty years they've been mocking so-called "bomb-making" films, ultimately only able to throw out some cheap, low-quality fireworks from small-town workshops for the audience to hear. The film's idea originated from the director, who, while filming his feature film debut, cleared the streets of a small town in the middle of the night. Two hundred soldiers, fully armed and bearing large numbers, running past in the Australian SAS special forces selection program, moved Hughes, a lifelong *Star Wars* fan. He then wanted to use science fiction to explore elite soldiers, human war machines, reaching the finish line in harsh environments without any shortcuts. Tyler Grey, a former Ranger and creator of "The Navy SEALs," is involved in the filming.