'Pressure' Review: Brendan Fraser is Dwight D. Eisenhower in gripping WWII drama on run-up to D-Day

There are virtually hundreds if not thousands of films astir World War II. You'd deliberation by present that everything determination is to cognize astir it has already been depicted connected the large screen. But not truthful fast!

"Pressure" revisits the turbulent readying of D-Day, specifically the effort to way the upwind for the penetration of Normandy. British meteorologist Captain James Stagg (Andrew Scott) is recruited to counsel Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) upon a glowing endorsement from Winston Churchill.

"I request a forecast," Eisenhower tells Stagg. 

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Brendan Fraser arsenic Dwight D. Eisenhower and Andrew Scott arsenic James Stagg successful manager Anthony Maras’ "Pressure," a Focus Features release. (Alex Bailey/Focus Features/StudioCanal © 2026 All Rights Reserved.)

Stagg, a stiff who doesn't precisely enactment good with others, is forced to collaborate with Eisenhower's ain handpicked meteorologist from the states, Irving Krick (Chris Messina). Within 72 hours, they indispensable archer Eisenhower if helium should determination up with the onslaught connected Normandy oregon hold it — but Stagg is forecasting 2 monolithic storms portion Krick is forecasting beauteous sunny upwind based connected their ain methodologies.

"The storms that I americium talking astir are real, and the wrath of quality is real," Stagg warns. 

Eisenhower tasks the 2 of them to hold connected a azygous forecast, which seems to beryllium a Herculean effort successful itself.

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Andrew Scott arsenic Captain James Stagg and Chris Messina arsenic Irving P. Krick successful manager Anthony Maras’ "Pressure," a Focus Features release.  (Alex Bailey/Focus Features/StudioCanal © 2026 All Rights Reserved.)

Rounding retired the formed is the delightful Kerry Condon playing Captain Kay Summersby, Eisenhower's Irish caput and confidant who besides serves arsenic an "Ike whisperer" for Stagg, arsenic good arsenic Damian Lewis playing British Army serviceman Bernard 'Monty' Montgomery, who is gung ho connected sending the troops rainfall oregon shine.

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Andrew Scott arsenic Captain James Stagg and Kerry Condon arsenic Captain Kay Summersby successful manager Anthony Maras’ "Pressure," a Focus Features release. (Alex Bailey/Focus Features/StudioCanal © 2026 All Rights Reserved.)

Andrew Scott delivers yet different beardown show arsenic Stagg, who comes of arsenic highly rigid yet has a gentle charm to him. Brendan Fraser commands the surface arsenic the towering and intimidating Eisenhower, showing glimmers of a classical American consciousness of wit astatine 1 infinitesimal and astatine others being visibly haunted by the catastrophic Exercise Tiger, the D-Day formal rehearsal that resulted successful implicit 700 deaths of American serviceman conscionable weeks piror. He feels the value of the full satellite connected his shoulders arsenic helium determines whether helium has the assurance to springiness the bid without it starring to different disaster.

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Adapted from the 2014 play by David Haig, "Pressure" marks the 2nd diagnostic from writer/director Anthony Maras pursuing his highly-underrated debut "Hotel Mumbai," the harrowing 2018 thriller astir the 2008 Mumbai violent attacks. Maras surely knows however to seizure strength and what is besides commendable is however casual it is to grasp the analyzable quality of the communicative and not consciousness bogged down arsenic a spectator (I'm a precise elemental man). That's credited to Maras and Haig's effectual screenplay.

Brendan Fraser stars arsenic General Dwight D. Eisenhower successful manager Anthony Maras’ "Pressure," a Focus Features release. (Alex Bailey/Focus Features/StudioCanal © 2026 All Rights Reserved.)

The Verdict

"Pressure" is simply a gripping warfare thriller that revisits 1 of the astir consequential moments of each clip that is elevated by a beardown ensemble led by Scott and Fraser. You don't person to beryllium a past buff to admit this movie arriving conscionable up of the 82nd day of D-Day.

"Pressure" is rated PG-13 for warfare violence, bloody images, immoderate beardown connection and smoking. Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes. In theaters now.

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