Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- darkly comic
- witty
- cynical
- political satire night
- military history viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a savvy, sharply observed satire of military spending and Pentagon bureaucracy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Burton's attempts to conduct a proper live-fire test are repeatedly obstructed by commanders protecting the Bradley program.
The Bradley's redesign and rushed construction are treated as products of military spending priorities rather than battlefield usefulness.
Colonel Burton is assigned to evaluate the vehicle but is continually subverted by General Partridge and the Army hierarchy.
The troop carrier is presented as a deathtrap whose technical flaws embody the consequences of compromised testing and redesign.
Films like The Pentagon Wars, and why
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Shared dark military satire, institutional absurdity, and anti-bureaucratic critique
Catch-22
Shared cynical comedy about military bureaucracy, weapons systems, and organizational incompetence
War Dogs
Shared true-story military procurement satire and conflict between rigorous testing and institutional self-protection
The Death of Stalin
Shared workplace power struggle, political maneuvering, and deadpan critique of institutional systems
Movie Details
- Director
- Richard Benjamin
- Release Date
- 1998-02-28
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (88)
Cast
- Kelsey Grammer
- Cary Elwes
- Viola Davis
- John C. McGinley
- Tom Wright
- Clifton Powell
- Dewey Weber
- Richard Schiff
- J.C. MacKenzie
- Richard Benjamin
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Pentagon Wars about?
- A determined Air Force evaluator battles Army hierarchy and defense-industry logic to expose a troop vehicle whose procurement has outrun its safety and usefulness.
- What is The Pentagon Wars like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Pentagon Wars as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Pentagon Wars violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Pentagon Wars as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Pentagon Wars?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a savvy, sharply observed satire of military spending and Pentagon bureaucracy.
- Which films are like The Pentagon Wars?
- Films with a similar feel include Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Catch-22, War Dogs, and The Death of Stalin.
- How long is The Pentagon Wars?
- The Pentagon Wars runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Pentagon Wars?
- In United States, The Pentagon Wars streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
