The Damned (2024) – A Quiet, Haunting Look at the Waiting Game of War

I loved the details in The Damned—how soldiers patrol, how they set up camp, make food, drink, and try to do what they came to do: patrol and stand guard. It's simple and quiet in general, except for a few short action fight scenes. This way of storytelling reminds me of Train Dreams from 2025. The Damned has some nice visuals in nature and shows that period well—it looks authentic. We see how young some soldiers are and what they have to go through. What I think it lacks is character development. None of the characters really stands out. My honest rating is 7 out of 10.

Starring a large amateur cast, this drama is produced, written, and directed by Roberto Minervini. In the winter of 1862, during the Civil War, the U.S. Army sends a volunteer company to patrol the uncharted Western territories. As their mission ultimately changes course, the meaning behind their engagement begins to elude them. It earned a 7/10 from me. Let's dig into the details.

The Plot: Patrolling the Void

Winter 1862. In the midst of the Civil War, the US Army sends a company of volunteer soldiers to the western territories, with the task of patrolling the unchartered borderlands. These aren't hardened soldiers—they're young men, volunteers, some who joined to be with brothers, others for a sense of purpose, and some out of duty . Their mission is vague: patrol, secure the landscape, stay warm. There's a lot of walking, setting up camps, and trying to survive the brutal winter conditions . No spoilers here, but the film isn't interested in battles or heroics. It's interested in the waiting—the boredom, the cold, the slow erosion of purpose. When violence does come, it's sudden and confusing, not glorious.

The Immersive, Documentary-Style Approach

What makes The Damned unique is its approach. Minervini is known for documentaries, and this is his first fiction feature, but the methodology is the same . He created a permanent camp where the actors spent entire days, whether filming or not. They were free to light fires, make coffee, cook food—not guided by the director . This created a real sense of community and camaraderie. The dialogue was largely improvised, with the cast drawing on their own lives and knowledge . The result is a film that feels less like a movie and more like an experience—a time capsule of what it might have actually been like to be there. Critics have noted this quality. The Hollywood Reporter said, "If it were possible to send a camera crew back into the past to capture such an event, the result would be something close to what Minervini delivers" .

The Visuals and the Authenticity

Visually, the film is stunning. The Montana landscape, the vintage lenses, the natural light—it all contributes to a sense of authenticity that's rare in war films . The film looks romantic in the way it captures the period, but it never romanticizes the war itself. Minervini has said he wanted to reject the usual war movie tropes—heroism, good versus evil, sacrifice for a just cause—because he finds them "politically dangerous and misleading" . Instead, he focuses on the individuals, their confusion, their doubts, their small moments of humanity. You see how young some of these soldiers are, and what they have to go through, and it hits differently than a typical war epic.

What Worked and What Didn't

What I loved most was the detail and the authenticity. The camp life, the patrols, the quiet moments—it all feels real. The visuals are beautiful, and the film captures that period in a way that feels genuine. However, the lack of character development is a real issue. None of the characters stands out. You don't get to know them as individuals, and that makes it harder to connect emotionally. Critics have pointed this out too. Slant Magazine noted that the film's "resolute lack of dramatic tension" is both its strength and its limitation . Variety said the film "has a tendency to meander" . I agree. It's a mood piece more than a story, and if you're not in the mood for that, it might frustrate you.

Ratings and Critical Reception

IMDb: 5.4/10 from 1,200 users

RT: 64% critics (28 reviews) / no audience score yet. 

The film premiered at Cannes in 2024, where it won the Best Director award in the Un Certain Regard section . Critics were generally favorable—Metacritic shows a 71 Metascore, with The New York Times giving it 90 and The Hollywood Reporter 80 . But the IMDb score is low, which suggests general audiences were less impressed. I think my 7/10 sits closer to the critical reception. It's a film that critics appreciate for its craft and its ambition, but it's not for everyone.

A Minor Critique

The main issue is the lack of character development. The film is so focused on the experience of war—the waiting, the cold, the boredom—that it forgets to give us someone to care about. The soldiers are interchangeable, and that's intentional in a way, but it also creates distance. There were moments where I wanted to know more about these men, their lives before the war, their fears. The film doesn't give you that, and it's a missed opportunity.

A Quiet Gem for Patient Viewers

At 7/10, The Damned is a film for people who appreciate slow, immersive, experiential cinema. It's not a traditional war movie, and it's not trying to be. It's a mood piece, a meditation on the waiting game of war, and it succeeds at what it sets out to do. Dive in if you have patience and an interest in history. It sparked thoughts about the gap between the grand narratives of war and the small, boring, terrifying reality of being there. Worth watching, but go in knowing what you're getting into.

What did you think of The Damned? Did the slow pace work for you, or did you miss having characters to root for? Drop your thoughts in the comments. If you enjoyed this post, please share to support the blog. Thanks. 

See also My full list of 2026 movie reviews →