By George & Josh Bate
In the over 80 years since the Allied forces declared victory over the Axis powers, seemingly every fragment of World War II has been covered and examined in a movie or television series. Last year saw the world-altering Nuremberg trials brought to the big screen in a drama starring Rami Malek and Russell Crowe. The year before had director Steve McQueen craft Blitz, a historical drama about a young boy evacuated during the London bombings, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks produce the Apple TV+ miniseries Masters of the Air chronicling the heroic airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, and Guy Ritchie mastermind the stylized action film The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare following a top-secret combat unit tasked with neutralizing Germany’s fleet U-boats. And, of course, the year before that featured the critically lauded Oppenheimer sweep every awards show and dominate conversation (and the box office) for quite some time.
But just when one might think storytellers and filmmakers have extracted every last ounce of material from World War II, director and co-writer Anthony Maras oversees a film with the intensity of a nail-biting thriller, emotion of a rousing character drama, and relevance of a breaking news story.
From Focus Features, Pressure unfolds in the tense 72 hours before D-Day. As the Allied forces prepare for storming the beaches of Normandy, an operation that will determine the outcome of World War II, General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) recruits a gifted meteorologist named James Stagg (Andrew Scott) to ensure that the largest seaborne invasion in history is not derailed by poor weather. As Stagg’s careful examination of data suggests that powerful storms may ruin the invasion, he faces pushback from fellow meteorologist Irving P. Krick (Chris Messina) and senior British Army officer Bernard Montgomery (Damian Lewis), who are eager to see D-Day go as planned. Faced with colleagues and superiors who are determined not to believe Stagg’s forecast, the meteorologist must find a way to push aside stress related to the impending birth of his first child and advocate for a decision that, if miscalculated, will risk losing the war altogether.
Based on the stage play of the same name by David Haig (who also co-writes the film’s screenplay), Pressure overwhelmingly lives up to the high-stakes and intensity suggested by its title. Despite taking place almost entirely at Southwick House, the Allied headquarters, and being largely devoid of the action and spectacle that characterize many other World War II stories, Maras’ film packs an incredible amount of tension into each and every moment of its tight narrative. The stakes of D-Day going ahead as planned are clearly and succinctly conveyed to the audience from the get-go and immediately make the film feel as if it is moving at the beat of an accelerated stopwatch. Maras, backed by a pulse-pounding score from Volker Bertelmann, helms the film with such urgency that every second wasted on a petty argument or unnecessarily heated conversation is painfully and palpably felt by the audience. In the days leading up to June 6, 1944, the fate of the world was in the balance, a precarious state that Pressure captures with incredible precision and gravity.
This sense of urgency runs rampant throughout the tightly edited and meticulously written film. Not a second of runtime or line of dialogue is wasted – every moment serves a purpose, whether it be to further the narrative, deepen our understanding of the characters, or convey how much massive, world-altering decisions rest on the shoulders of a very select few. In this sense, Pressure operates superbly as a political thriller and will likely get the heart racing far more than your average action or adventure movie.
Adding to the urgency and intensity of the film are a series of complex, fascinating character dynamics. At the head of the story is Andrew Scott’s James Stagg, the gifted meteorologist brought in to offer his expertise about the weather ahead of D-Day. Stagg possesses a great intellect, but isn’t particularly likable, as evidenced by his off-putting attitude and abrupt remarks made toward all of his new colleagues at Allied headquarters. Stagg remains resolute in the face of scrutiny and doubt from others, and is brave enough to call others out for their inappropriate behavior.
Stagg’s resoluteness wavers, however, when faced with the revered and imposing figure that is Brendan Fraser’s General Eisenhower. Fraser plays the role with surprising vulnerability and gives unexpected dimensions to a character that could easily have been portrayed or conceptualized as an antagonist, of sorts. Subtle scenes, performed with brilliant nuance from Fraser, depict Eisenhower’s insecurities and anxieties, especially in light of a botched practice for D-Day that resulted in the deaths of many of his men.
Scott’s performance alters drastically when in the presence of Eisenhower, as his typical stoicism and confidence buckles when faced with a general of such stature, both physically and figuratively. Stagg and Eisenhower’s ever-evolving dynamic in the film fascinates as we see Stagg forced with an impossible decision: either stand up for what he believes in, at the expense of possible humiliation and certain condemnation, or sit idly by as Nazi Germany emerges victorious.
Stagg also shares an interesting dynamic with Chris Messina’s Colonel Krick. Messina’s character is an American meteorologist, who works side-by-side with Scott’s Scotsman to deliver a forecast about the weather on D-Day. Stagg and Krick clash constantly in the film as the former relies on data to come to conclusions while Krick repeatedly references historical patterns of weather to inform his decision. Even if the audience can quite easily conclude which of the two meteorologists will ultimately be proven right, it nonetheless enthralls to see Scott and Messina go back and forth and try to assert power over one another.
Messina’s Krick is far from the only character that doubts Stagg’s prognosis. Damian Lewis’ Bernard Montgomery is just one of many, including Eisenhower at times, who chooses to believe what he wants to believe, rather than what the data suggests. It doesn’t take an intellect of Stagg’s caliber to realize that Pressure is tapping into themes and issues just as relevant now as they were in 1944. The importance of maintaining rationality when faced with extraordinary pressure, courage to stand by your convictions, and combat the spread of misinformation are just some of the poignant ideas Maras’ film deftly juggles, resulting in a film that serves both as a powerful historical drama and encapsulation of vital lessons we would all benefit from taking forward with us.
Through an exploration of these themes, Andrew Scott’s James Stagg evolves from a somewhat off-putting character to a man we feel deep empathy for. Who at first appears to be an intellectual completely devoid of charm or warmth slowly shows a more human side to the audience. Midway through the film, a development in Stagg’s character occurs that only deepens our care for Stagg. Coupled with the doubt he faces at every turn, Stagg justifies his stoicism and steadfastness and evolves into a protagonist we, as the audience, are desperate to see proven right, not only for the sake of the world, but for the sake of a character we’ve come to have incredible respect for.
Every step of the way, Scott delivers a passionate, triumphant, and exceedingly authentic performance as Stagg. Scott has impressed in the likes of All of Us Strangers and Ripley, but Pressure is resoundingly the Irish actor’s best work to date. Understated when he needs to be, yet more overt and theatrical when the moment requires it, Scott anchors Pressure with an awards-worthy turn bursting at the seams with humanity, groundedness, and vulnerability.
As Maras splices in real footage of D-Day, captured by British and American cinematographers who somehow lugged 35mm cameras into war zones, while also dramatizing the Normandy landings with actors, Pressure converges on a conclusion that is remarkably not undermined one bit by its predictability. Even a history novice is likely to know of the D-Day invasions and their outcome, but Maras excels in persevering through the inevitable conclusion of his story with filmmaking that maximizes tension and suspense without missing a beat.
As the film winds down, Pressure proves deeply moving and tear-inducing. The vindication of Stagg’s claims, the victory on the battlefield, the relief Ike experiences, the bond Ike and Stagg have formed, the repair in the relationship between Krick and Stagg, and the unflinching kindness from Kerry Condon’s Kay Summersby come to a head all at once and foster such a stirring tidal wave of emotion.
The emotions continue to hit with Pressure’s epilogue as Stagg is given an ending singular to his character and independent of the global conflict he played a part in. It’s challenging to think of a moviegoer who wouldn’t be moved by how Maras’ film wraps up.
VERDICT: 9/10
Pressure champions an unsung hero of World War II in a film with the intensity of a nail-biting thriller, emotion of a rousing character drama, and relevance of a breaking news story. Anthony Maras’ film captures a palpable sense of urgency as a tight edit, sharp script, and exhilarating score from Volker Bertelmann imbue every scene with an almost unbearable intensity. The myriad of character dynamics that spawn from this intensity fascinate and interestingly evolve, while the film explores the importance of maintaining rationality when faced with extraordinary pressure and courage to stand by your convictions, themes that are just as relevant now as they were in 1944. Brendan Fraser impresses with an unexpectedly vulnerable and complex portrayal of Dwight D. Eisenhower, while Andrew Scott delivers his best performance to date and awards-worthy turn as the initially dislikable, yet ultimately empathic and deeply human James Stagg. The final act sees the emotions hit hard and fast, a testament to how Maras and co-screenwriter David Haig are able to tug at the heartstrings despite telling a story most moviegoers will already know the ultimate conclusion of heading in. An epilogue that beautifully wraps up Stagg’s arc will challenge even the most steadfast of moviegoers to not tear up and concludes a film that is the best World War II movie since Dunkirk and one of 2026’s best movies.