A new war-action thriller called Man of War, starring Special Ops: Lioness actor LaMonica Garrett, has drawn strong early praise from action-film critics following its digital streaming release. The film, directed by William Kaufman and produced under the influence of Taylor Sheridan's style of storytelling, blends the family-driven tension of Taken with the war setting of Rambo, following an elite soldier drawn back into combat. Its positive reception matters because action thrillers are notoriously difficult to get right, relying on a precise balance of pacing, tension and characterisation, and Man of War is being held up as a rare example that succeeds on both fronts.

Man of War premiered on digital streaming on 3 July 2026 and has since received strong reviews from niche action-film outlets. TheActionElite awarded it 4/5, praising its "all-out carnage" and Garrett's "badass lead" performance, while action-flix gave it a perfect 5/5 and called director Kaufman "the master of cinematic tactical action." Actionreloaded also highlighted the film's handling of its war backdrop, noting it delivers hard-hitting action while keeping sight of civilians caught in the conflict; Kaufman's other credits include Sinners and Saints, Shrapnel, The Channel and 2025's Osiris, which also featured Garrett.