WAR ON EVERYONE (2016) – Corruption Wears a Badge

In Albuquerque’s sun, corruption isn’t hidden—it’s flashing neon

War on Everyone (2016) is a jet-black buddy cop comedy that flips the genre on its head with outrageous characters and even more outrageous behavior. Directed by John Michael McDonagh, the film follows two utterly corrupt police officers—Detectives Terry Monroe (Alexander Skarsgård) and Bob Bolaño (Michael Peña)—as they spiral deeper into crime, violence, and moral nihilism, all under the pretense of doing their “job.”

Set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the film kicks off with a bang, as the duo robs criminals, blackmails suspects, and abuses their authority with no remorse. Their philosophy is simple: if everyone’s corrupt, why not make a little money off it? But when they cross paths with a new, more dangerous villain—a British aristocrat with criminal interests of his own—their cartoonish confidence starts to crumble.

The tone of War on Everyone is loud, vulgar, and gleefully offensive. The dialogue is sharp, often hilarious, but never politically correct. Instead of chasing redemption arcs or moral growth, the movie leans into its characters’ chaotic energy and sociopathic charm. Terry, the alcoholic ex-sprinter with a love for Glen Campbell, and Bob, the philosophical family man with a dark streak, somehow remain likable, even as they do truly terrible things.

Visually, the film is as stylized as its script—bright colors, fast cuts, and an ‘anything-goes’ attitude that mirrors the characters’ recklessness. While the story occasionally veers into incoherence, the film’s commitment to satire and mayhem keeps the pace unpredictable and entertaining. It’s a world where criminals and cops are nearly indistinguishable, and justice is just another joke.

War on Everyone is not for the easily offended—but for those who enjoy chaotic energy, dark humor, and antiheroes with zero boundaries, it’s a bold, unfiltered ride through the worst instincts of humanity, dressed up in badge and gun.