“Warfare”, interview with actor Taylor John Smith

FRED Film Radio interviewed actor Taylor John Smith at the Taormina Film Festival 2025 to discuss “Warfare”, which was screened out of competition.

A true story brought to the big screen

One of the most interesting aspects of “Warfare” is its ability to put the viewer directly into the heart of the action to show, in the most honest and truthful way possible, its brutality. “The goal of this film wasn’t to make war beautiful, nor to make it cinematic”, says Taylor John Smith. “We wanted to put the audience in that room with those soldiers and let them experience the war moment by moment, as it unfolded. The entire film is made up of 90 minutes of real-time scenes. There’s no soundtrack to evoke emotion. Everything was shot chronologically, so we actors were able to experience each scene as it unfolded, just as the audience would”.

Intense physical preparation

Featuring a constantly active ensemble cast, “Warfare” is also a film to be admired for its technical complexity and ambitious staging. “We went through a three-and-a-half-week boot camp to prepare for the military aspect, speaking on the radio, handling weapons, learning to shoot, move as a team, and communicate”, recalls Taylor John Smith. “They had cameras that floated from room to room, so I could be in one room filming my scene while the camera was in another part of the house. So we were all acting simultaneously. At any moment, if the camera came in, you didn’t have to wait for your shot; you were already there, which was really nice for an actor because it allowed you to be immersed”.

The different approaches of Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza

What was it like for the actor and his colleagues to be directed by two directors on set? “Alex was definitely more involved with the technical side, where to place the camera, which shots to choose, and which lenses to use for a given scene”, underlines Taylor John Smith. “But as far as the acting went, it was all Ray Mendoza, because he had been there. He knew exactly what these guys were thinking at any given moment, and his wisdom and breadth and depth of knowledge were impeccable. We really appreciated his ability to tell you exactly what he was thinking at any given moment”.

Plot