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Hailey Gates’ Wartime Satire ‘Atropia’ Opens in Theaters as Critics Flag Uneven Bite

The Sundance-premiered satire marks writer-director Hailey Gates’ first feature.

Overview

  • Multiple outlets report a December 12 theatrical debut, though one listing presents a conflicting date.
  • Set in a U.S. desert training village nicknamed “The Box,” the film follows roleplayers and soldiers inside a mock Iraqi town.
  • Reviews highlight sharp early gags about the military–entertainment complex but say the film’s satire wanes as a central romance takes focus.
  • Alia Shawkat stars with Callum Turner, Chloë Sevigny, Tim Heidecker, Jane Levy, Zahra Alzubaidi, and Lola Kirke.
  • Expanded from Gates’ short Shako Mako and produced by Luca Guadagnino, the project pivoted from a planned documentary after limited government cooperation.