Ladies and gentlemen, you know how I love a good sci-fi. And a sci-fi with plenty of action is even better. Well, a proper gem has just been released on Netflix!
War Machine is a 2026 science fiction action film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Patrick Hughes. It stars Alan Ritchson, Dennis Quaid, Stephan James, Jai Courtney, Esai Morales, Keiynan Lonsdale and Daniel Webber.
In Afghanistan, an unnamed Staff Sergeant arrives to help his brother’s broken down convoy. His brother tries to convince him that they should apply to become Army Rangers, when they are attacked by Taliban insurgents. Everyone is killed except the Staff Sergeant, who suffers a knee injury. The Staff Sergeant tries to carry his mortally wounded brother back to base but passes out before making it. When he wakes up in the hospital, he learns that his brother had already died, but he is awarded the Silver Star. This is one part of the film where the visuals could have been better. The background was out of focus. The scenery of Afghanistan was worth getting right.
Two years later, the Staff Sergeant attends RASP to join the 75th Ranger Regiment, and is given the candidate number of 81. 81 excels at training but does not bond with his fellow recruits and refuses the role of team leader, despite his record. After he allows himself to nearly drown during an underwater exercise, regiment leaders Sergeant Major Sheridan and First Sergeant Torres question his mental state over his PTSD and insist he step down from the program to recuperate, but 81 refuses. Sheridan and Torres allow him to advance and assign him team leader for the final exercise, a simulated mission in the forest to destroy a classified aircraft and rescue its pilot. Around that time, reports come out of a suspected asteroid revolving around the planet breaking off in pieces.
During the exercise, the team is startled by an unknown blast in the sky, which knocks out communications, and finds a strange looking object by the creek, which the team believes is the classified aircraft. After detonating it with explosives, it remains undamaged and transforms into a walking machine that starts killing the team. Oh yeah baby! I love it.
War Machine (2026) is a high-octane sci-fi action film that delivers exactly what modern action cinema should: relentless tension, striking visuals, and a compelling hero at the center of a desperate fight for survival.
One of the film’s biggest strengths is the commanding presence of Alan Ritchson in the lead role. As the emotionally scarred but resilient soldier 81, he delivers a performance that balances physical power with vulnerability.
Ritchson brings credibility to the character through demanding stunt work and intense physical scenes, many of which were performed practically during filming. It makes it all the more compelling.
Where War Machine truly shines is in its action sequences. Director Patrick Hughes crafts battles that feel raw and immediate, with soldiers navigating forests, rivers, and rugged terrain while being pursued by an unstoppable alien machine.
The film’s use of practical stunts and real explosions adds authenticity rarely seen in streaming action films. Scenes such as rappelling over rapids or underwater endurance tests push the actors physically and create a visceral sense of danger.
My favorite part was the chase between the armored car and the machine. It was edge of the seat stuff.
The robotic antagonist is also a highlight. Its mechanical design and relentless pursuit give the film a thrilling “survival horror” edge, reminiscent of classic sci-fi action films where humans must outsmart a technologically superior enemy.
And the good news is that there are more aliens on the way, so there’s room for a sequel.
Have you seen it? Let me know what you think. Five stars out of five from me.
Mark's Writing Corner 