"Man of War" Review: LaMonica Garrett Is Ready for the Big Leagues
I first noticed director William Kaufman in 2011 when he delivered a race-swapped spin on "Collateral," starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Cole Hauser in "The Hit List." Since then, Kaufman has established a solid niche for himself in lower-budget action films. His latest project, "Man of War," reunites him with "Osiris" star LaMonica Garrett for another thrilling installment filled with bullets, brotherhood, and battlefield mayhem.
Garrett stars as Michael Connor, a former Special Forces operator who is now a private military contractor. Connor's connection to the war in Ukraine becomes deeply personal when his adopted daughter, Riley (portrayed by Rosmary Yaneva), an aid worker, is kidnapped by Russian mercenaries led by the sadistic Koniev (Daniel Bernhardt). With the help of his former CIA handler, Charlie Lewis (Jason Patric), Connor ventures into the war zone and joins a diverse group of operators to bring Riley home.
Kaufman isn’t reinventing the military rescue movie with this film. Instead, he adheres to the fundamentals: brotherhood, sacrifice, tactical gunplay, an intimidating villain, and a hero carrying emotional baggage into battle.
Although I never saw combat during my time in the Air Force, military movies naturally resonate with me. As a Black veteran, I also appreciate seeing people of color in leading roles in a genre that hasn't always afforded them that opportunity. Thankfully, Garrett fully embraces this chance.
Garrett has a commanding presence and appears completely at ease leading an action film. More importantly, the quieter moments prevent Connor from becoming just another indestructible action hero. Garrett brings an old-school action-star quality to the role, yet there's enough emotional depth beneath the physicality to make Connor a character worth investing in.
This raises the question: Why isn’t LaMonica Garrett starring in more big-budget films? Between "1883," "Special Ops: Lioness," "The Terminal List: Dark Wolf," "Osiris," and now "Man of War," he's shown considerable presence and acting talent. Someone needs to give him a substantial role alongside Denzel Washington, Michael B. Jordan, or Tom Cruise and let him shine.
Kaufman also impressively stretches his resources. Shot in Bulgaria, with Sofia and the surrounding countryside standing in for Kyiv and Kharkiv, "Man of War" often looks more expensive than its budget suggests. The extensive tactical training for the cast pays off during the firefights, which maintain a convincing physicality without becoming overly polished.
The film eventually culminates in the expected onslaught of gunfire and chaos during its final act. While the screenplay's familiarity occasionally works against it, Daniel Bernhardt serves as a suitably menacing adversary to Garrett. The film also presents an intriguing contradiction between its anti-war sentiments and the undeniably cool portrayal of its warriors in action.
Still, "Man of War" possesses more humanity than your average shoot-’em-up. Ukrainian actors living as refugees in Bulgaria contributed details inspired by their experiences with the war, adding genuine weight beneath all the bullets and explosions.
"Man of War" doesn't rewrite the rules of the military-action genre, and it doesn't need to. Kaufman knows his strengths and delivers solid action within them. However, the biggest takeaway is Garrett, who once again shows Hollywood needs to give this talented actor a bigger budget and a chance to truly excel.
Final Grade:B
