Netflix viewers will need to be quick if they want to catch this film before it leaves the streaming platform on July 27. War Dogs is a 2016 American black comedy crime film that was written and directed by Todd Phillips. The film, released in 2016, has also been written by Jason Smilovic and Stephen Chin, and was based on the 2011 Rolling Stone article Arms and the Dudes by Guy Lawson, which was later made into a novel of the same name.
War Dogs has a stellar cast including Bradley Cooper, Jonah Hill, Miles Teller and Ana de Armas among many others. The film’s synopsis reads: “With the war in Iraq raging on, a young man (Hill) offers his childhood friend a chance to make big bucks by becoming an international arms dealer. Together, they exploit a government initiative that allows businesses to bid on U.S. military contracts. Starting small allows the duo to rake in money and live the high life. They soon find themselves in over their heads after landing a $300 million deal to supply Afghan forces, a deal that puts them in business with some very shady people.”
War Dogs was met with mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film scores 62%, with the critics consensus stating: “War Dogs rises on the strength of Jonah Hill’s compelling performance to take a lightly entertaining look at troubling real-world events.”
One critic said: “Sure, there’s voiceover, freeze frames, and morally reprehensible characters, but it reads more like a parody film than an inspired one.”
A second critic said: “Don’t expect anything special or some eye-opening revelation. War Dogs shouldn’t come as a surprise. Just enjoy the cautionary tale of this crazy journey and the brilliant performance by Jonah Hill.”
While another stated: “War Dogs struggles a bit with its identity, seemingly unsure whether it wants to be a comedy or a drama and thus winding up in a bit of a muddy middle. Still, the dynamic between [Miles] Teller and [Jonah] Hill goes a long way.”
The audience rated this film similarly to the critics, rating it at just 69% on Rotten Tomatoes.
War Dogs is available to stream on Netflix until July 27.