Review: A Sci-Fi War Movie About the Pentagon's Inscrutable Budget
Amid a lot of patriotic rah-rah, predictable writing, and subpar acting, the Netflix movie War Machine manages to convey at least one interesting point about America’s bloated military budget.
Director Patrick Hughes’ film stars Alan Ritchson as an Army staff sergeant who watches his brother get killed in action in Afghanistan. The death inspires Ritchson’s character to honor a pact he made with his brother and become an Army Ranger himself.
To graduate from Ranger School, Ritchson and the other final candidates must complete a mission together in the wilderness—a mission that goes awry when a strange, robotlike machine appears from outer space and begins eviscerating the team with lasers.
Much of the ensuing action is quite improbable, but one realistic moment stands out. As the candidates speculate about the origin of their sci-fi opponent, one prospective Ranger suggests that the machine must be a military R&D project. That’s right: The Pentagon’s budget is so vast and obscure that a soldier believes it’s conceivable the extraterrestrial machine shooting lasers at them is American taxpayer–funded.
Honestly, who can blame him? It took the Pentagon 28 years to comply with a federal law requiring federal agencies to produce annual financial statements, and it still has yet to pass an audit. (The Defense Department will take its 11th swing at a complete audit in 2028.) But this hasn’t stopped the Pentagon from spending millions of dollars on things that don’t protect national security, including misinformation campaigns for Arab dictators and technology that has been used to track U.S. citizens.
Despite its corniness, War Machine is an entertaining watch that asks an important question: Should we be surprised if the military did create a laser-shooting robot?
The post Review: A Sci-Fi War Movie About the Pentagon’s Inscrutable Budget appeared first on Reason.com.
Source: https://reason.com/2026/05/22/war-machine-2/
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world. Anyone can join. Anyone can contribute. Anyone can become informed about their world. "United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
LION'S MANE PRODUCT
Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules
Mushrooms are having a moment. One fabulous fungus in particular, lion’s mane, may help improve memory, depression and anxiety symptoms. They are also an excellent source of nutrients that show promise as a therapy for dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. If you’re living with anxiety or depression, you may be curious about all the therapy options out there — including the natural ones.Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend has been formulated to utilize the potency of Lion’s mane but also include the benefits of four other Highly Beneficial Mushrooms. Synergistically, they work together to Build your health through improving cognitive function and immunity regardless of your age. Our Nootropic not only improves your Cognitive Function and Activates your Immune System, but it benefits growth of Essential Gut Flora, further enhancing your Vitality.
Our Formula includes: Lion’s Mane Mushrooms which Increase Brain Power through nerve growth, lessen anxiety, reduce depression, and improve concentration. Its an excellent adaptogen, promotes sleep and improves immunity. Shiitake Mushrooms which Fight cancer cells and infectious disease, boost the immune system, promotes brain function, and serves as a source of B vitamins. Maitake Mushrooms which regulate blood sugar levels of diabetics, reduce hypertension and boosts the immune system. Reishi Mushrooms which Fight inflammation, liver disease, fatigue, tumor growth and cancer. They Improve skin disorders and soothes digestive problems, stomach ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Chaga Mushrooms which have anti-aging effects, boost immune function, improve stamina and athletic performance, even act as a natural aphrodisiac, fighting diabetes and improving liver function. Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules Today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.
| Visits: | 1,807,177,285 |
| Stories: | 8,644,271 |
Whistler Blowers, Insiders
