--- title: "War Dogs: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/war-dogs/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/war-dogs" critics_score: 57 critics_reviews: 23 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # War Dogs (2016): what the critics said Critics' score 57 from 23 reviews: 9 positive, 5 mixed, 9 negative. The critics split almost evenly on War Dogs, and the one thing nearly all of them agree on is Jonah Hill. Even the reviews that dismiss the film single out his turn as the louder, more dangerous of the two arms dealers, and Miles Teller gets steady if quieter credit alongside him. The admirers, mostly American trade titles, call it Todd Phillips’s first serious film for adults: a brisk, darkly funny rise-and-fall with real detail on how defence procurement worked in the mid-2000s. The detractors think it borrows the shape of The Wolf of Wall Street without the satire. The Guardian and The Telegraph both find it too fond of its own bros to say anything about them; The Times calls it The Hangover with guns. Lazy song choices come up repeatedly. The spread is wide, from a five-star Radio Times review to The Wrap finding it pointless, and the British broadsheets are noticeably colder than the American press. ## Radio Times — Stella Papamichael Rating 5/5. 16 August 2016. The critic calls it a cracking comedy thriller with never a dull moment, highlighting the kinetic camerawork, wry voiceover, and skillful balance of humour, tension and moral tale elements. They single out Jonah Hill's humane, boyish portrayal of the egocentric lead for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/war-dogs-review-theres-never-a-dull-moment/) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 16 August 2016. Director Todd Phillips has made his first terrific movie for grown-ups in this true-life tale of hip-geek arms dealers. The review singles out the nimble, gripping storytelling rooted in reality and fear, with authentic laughs and strong performances from the leads playing it straight. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/war-dogs-review-jonah-hill-miles-teller-1201838470/) ## Empire — John Nugent Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 17 August 2016. The critic finds it a largely serious film about arms dealing with darkly funny moments, buoyed by strong lead performances from Miles Teller and Jonah Hill and a compelling real-life story. It nearly achieves Scorsese-like rise-and-fall energy but falls short on visual ambition and fully confronting the human cost. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/war-dogs-review/) ## The New York Times — Neil Genzlinger Rating Critic's Pick. 18 August 2016. The film delivers an entertaining tale of two young men improbably becoming arms suppliers, mining the absurdity of the true story more than any outrage. The critic singles out the enjoyable insane ride, aided by strong supporting turns from Ana de Armas and Bradley Cooper. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/19/movies/war-dogs-review-jonah-hill-miles-teller.html) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Rating C+. 16 August 2016. The critic finds Jonah Hill on target but says the gunrunner comedy overall shoots blanks, a watered-down mix of other films that delivers swagger without substance. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/war-dogs-review-jonah-hill-miles-teller-todd-phillips-1201717253/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 16 August 2016. The critic calls it a moderately amusing based-on-reality account of two young opportunists bumbling into arms dealing. Hill and Teller deliver engaging yet repellent energy in their roles as the scumbag leads. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/miles-teller-jonah-hill-war-920006/) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 3/5. 22 August 2016. The critic praises Jonah Hill's standout performance as the film's biggest asset but notes that it fails to dig deeply into the characters or match the nuance of its influences like The Wolf of Wall Street. It is seen as fitfully entertaining escapism rather than a more substantial yarn. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/war-dogs) ## Evening Standard — Guy Lodge Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 26 August 2016. The critic notes the film successfully portrays its characters as douchebags but faults its semi-comic approach for enjoying their antics too much without sufficient satire or moral clarity. It lacks the conviction and wit of its Scorsese model, The Wolf of Wall Street, leaving it without a clear target. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/war-dogs-film-review-lock-stock-and-two-stonking-dudebros-a3330266.html) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 3/2/2. 26 August 2016. The critic finds Todd Phillips' take on the true story of young arms dealers underwhelming and lacking in imagination, with tired execution and poor musical choices. They single out the film's superficial handling of themes and stereotypical portrayals of foreign countries for complaint. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/war-dogs) ## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 18 August 2016. The film is a slipshod comic thriller that tames its wild true story into a familiar buddy comedy without real outrage or insight. Chang singles out the lazy filmmaking, obvious music cues, and mild titters at boys-being-boys antics under deadly circumstances. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-war-dogs-review-20160815-snap-story.html) ## Slant Magazine — Eric Henderson Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 18 August 2016. The critic sees the film as unrepentantly cynical about warmongering yet earnest about the American dream, mimicking The Wolf of Wall Street without its duality and playing like a comedy without punchlines. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/war-dogs/) ## The Telegraph — Robbie Collin Rating 2/5. 25 August 2016. The film tries to be a Goodfellas-style fleece procedural about real-life arms dealers but lacks moral shading and satirical bite, with the satire hitting with powder-puff force. It feels like the director thinks he has found his signature crime epic but the result is a misfire. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2016/08/25/war-dogs-review-a-goodfellas-for-bros-misfire/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 25 August 2016. The film is a strangely tiresome bro adventure that keeps reminding viewers how bad arms dealing is while making the dealers seem funny and cool. It draws on generic elements from The Hangover and The Wolf of Wall Street without delivering much comedy or genuine satire. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/25/war-dogs-review-jonah-hill-miles-teller-todd-phillips-arms-dealers) ## The New Yorker — Richard Brody Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2016. The movie exemplifies bad filmmaking that is flat and schematic despite its practical details on military procurement and its satirical take on war profiteering. Brody singles out the lack of depth in the script and direction, comparing it unfavorably in execution to its premise. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/the-exemplary-badness-of-war-dogs-and-hell-or-high-water) ## The Times Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 26 August 2016. This specious tale of arms dealers is a misogynistic misfire that offers musical montages and crass conviction in the allure of men in nightclubs instead of moral or political context. It is essentially The Hangover with guns and has no interest in the ethics of its subject. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/war-dogs-hxtb8ff5j) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating A-. 16 August 2016. The film is a cutting, irreverent crime story that showcases strong performances from Jonah Hill and Miles Teller and marks impressive growth for director Todd Phillips. It drags somewhat in the third act with predictable turns. [Read the review](https://collider.com/war-dogs-review/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2016. The critic praises it as a smart, intelligent and darkly funny movie, a big leap for Phillips, highlighting the buddy dynamic between Hill and Teller and fresh insights into the arms business. They single out the performances of Hill and Teller for praise. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2016/08/war-dogs-review-jonah-hill-miles-teller-bradley-cooper-todd-phillips-1201806083/) ## Eye for Film — Jane Fae Rating 4/5. 16 August 2016. A solid drama offering insight into US defence procurement in the mid-2000s rather than a hilarious romp. It effectively blends elements of Lord of War and The Big Short with accurate-seeming details on the arms trade. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/war-dogs-2016-film-review-by-jane-fae) ## The Playlist — Kevin Jagernauth Rating B. 16 August 2016. War Dogs is an entertaining popcorn ride about ambitious young men in the grey-area arms trade, reminiscent of The Wolf of Wall Street but with less moral bite. Hill and Teller shine in their hustling dynamic, though the third act loses energy. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/war-dogs-starring-jonah-hill-miles-teller-like-wolf-wall-street-guns-review-20160816/) ## Den of Geek — Ryan Lambie Rating 4 out of 5. 17 August 2016. The critic praises Jonah Hill's playfully disturbing performance as a charismatic yet amoral gun runner, highlighting the film's sober take on modern capitalism and the American dream through the lens of two stoners dealing arms. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/war-dogs-review-2/) ## HeyUGuys — Stefan Pape Rating 3/5. 23 August 2016. The film follows two friends turning to arms dealing amid the Iraq War, with strong performances from the leads making the reprehensible characters watchable. Hill delivers a standout creepy and eccentric turn that captures the film's unpredictable tone. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/war-dogs-review/) ## The Ringer — Sam Donsky Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 22 August 2016. War Dogs marks Todd Phillips coming to terms with the emptiness of celebrating antiheroes in his films, delivering a story about friendship and business that reveals the characters as not true friends. It is a mixed but insightful take on Phillips' evolution. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2016/08/22/movies/todd-phillips-characters-war-dogs-the-hangover-b4c73d7c1340) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 16 August 2016. The critic finds the film pointless and a waste of time, criticizing its lack of point of view on war, commerce, or its characters, and notes that the leads lack charisma. They single out the lazy song choices and murky cinematography for complaint. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/war-dogs-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/war-dogs.md