Fog of War has all the action you’re looking for with enough twists and turns to keep even mystery masters guessing. Tied in a bow with incredible performances from a stellar cast, this is a film is more than worth adding to your watchlist.
From the word “go,” this movie is a wild ride. It tells the story of Gene Lewis (Jake Abel), a former World War II pilot whose assignment changes when he’s needed elsewhere and a leg injury compromises his ability to fly.
The OSS sends him to visit his fiancee Penny (Brianna Hildebrand) and her family in Massachusetts. Because someone is leaking secrets to the Nazi Germans, and the signal is coming from near her Uncle Bob (John Cusack) and Aunt Maude’s (Mira Sorvino) house.
Tasked to spy on Penny, her family, and their community so he can report information back to the OSS, things are intense for Gene more often than not.
From a narrative standpoint, this story is gripping and keeps you guessing. I had about three entirely separate theories for how it was going to wrap up, and none of them were entirely correct. The twists just kept coming, and there’s not much that can possibly prepare you for how bold and impressive the climax is. This is a film about fascism that is chillingly relevant in 2025.
Craft-wise, there’s also a lot to love about this film. Many of the shots could genuinely be pieces of landscape artwork (which I’m sure, in hindsight, was a genius and conscious artistic choice. John Cusack’s character is a landscape painter and that’s super relevant to the story). The cinematography is unreal and portrays the small town New England setting as gorgeous and deserving of a story this big.
The lighting of this film was done with so much care, as well. It’s true to the warm, older-style light bulbs that would be used during this time (which is just one of the historically accurate details that made me want to high-five whoever was in charge of that in this movie). Brightness and shadows consistently fit tonally with the narrative of the story and are used effectively as a tool to propel tension.
The costumes and set design are also beautiful and true to the World War II era of the film. The specificities and details (like the light bulbs) enhance the story rather than distract from it. Though I’m sure it took a lot of hard work, it was clearly made to look effortless and immersive.
The cast of this film is also fantastic. It’s insanely hard to talk about exactly what people like Brianna Hildebrand (Penny), John Cusack (Uncle Bob), Mira Sorvino (Aunt Maude), and Géza Röhrig (Viktor) did incredibly without getting into spoilers (though, trust me, there’s lots of praise rattling around in my brain).
But all the performers in this film play their characters with tons of impressive layers and dimensions that really add to the twists and turns of the mystery. Like I said: No spoilers! But I’d really love to personally shake Brianna Hildebrand’s hand for how totally epic she was in this film’s climax. And John Cusack has such a distinct, powerful energy that flows well in all his films, but it’s such a good asset to his role here as a mysterious family patriarch.
And, yeah. Of course, I’m going to talk about Jake Abel.
It’s our first time seeing Jake Abel in a big, leading role, and it’s safe to say he’s proved it’s where he belongs. He’s a shining highlight of this film in both scenes that are soft and scenes that are explosive and full of tension. With crisp, clear acting choices that are as incredible as they are believable and physical acting that never wavers in consistency: He’s got it all.
And, you know what? Because this is my review and I just can’t resist saying this in an official capacity: If I had a nickel for every time Jake Abel played a World War II Pilot named Gene in a movie, I would have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice, right? (Check out his 2014 film, Against the Sun).
Fog of War is available now for Rental and Purchase on VOD, and is distributed by Decal Releasing.
