Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 59 minutes
Two soldiers are sent on a perilous mission across occupied France to deliver a message to a fellow British regiment to warn them of a trap that has been set by the German opposition.
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| Lance Corporal Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Lance Corporal Schofield (George MacKay) slip under barbed wire and walk into enemy territory in "no man's land" in the WWI drama film "1917." (Image Source) |
War is a popular subject for filmmakers. Maybe it's because combat pictures explore humanity at its best and its worst simultaneously. They can show acts of courageous heroism and the gruesome crimes we have committed against our fellow humans concurrently. Or, maybe, it's because war films are frequently slam dunks with audiences, making them safe box office bets. They also tend to be favorites at awards ceremonies and usually have the words "Oscar bait" written all over them. The latest now-Oscar-nominated war picture to clean up at the box office is the World War I epic "1917" (2019). It is directed by Acadamy Award winner Sam Mendes and is dedicated to his grandfather, Alfred, who served in the British military during the "war to end all wars." Alfred told Sam stories about his stint in the military fighting during the conflict, which he, in turn, used to make this film. Mendes also wrote the screenplay with Krysty Wilson-Cairns. It tells the story of two soldiers: Lance Corporal Blake (Dean Charles Chapman) and Lance Corporal Schofield (George MacKay). These two men are given a mission by General Erinmore (Colin Firth) to deliver a message to Colonel McKenzie (Benedict Cumberbatch), commander of the 2nd Regiment, to call off his planned attack on German soldiers that he believes have fallen back and are in retreat. The reality is that new information suggests the Germans have fallen back to lure McKenzie and his troops into an ambush. If Blake and Schofield fail to deliver this information on time, it would mean the loss of all 1,600 members of "The 2nd," including Blake's older brother.
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| Movie still for "1917" showing Colin Firth as General Erinmore giving two British Lance Corporals a dangerous mission into occupied territory. (Image Source) |
"1917" (2019) is an astonishing feat of technical mastery. With the help of some brilliant work by cinematographer Roger Deakins and some seamless editing by Lee Smith, Sam Mendes has pulled off an extraordinary visual spectacle that makes this feature feel like it was filmed as one continuous take. We have seen the "one-shot" cinematic trick be implemented a few times before in movies like the best picture-winning "Birdman" (2014) and originally by Alfred Hitchcock in the crime thriller "Rope" (1948), but rarely have we seen it executed on a scale like that of "1917" (2019). It is shot across many locations, including the tight spaces of trenches, underground bunkers, wide-open and vast countryside fields, farmhouses, and collapsing cities. Filming this project had to be done above, across, and through action set pieces where long shots continued unbroken as explosions erupted around the main actors and countless extras. The coordination between Mendes, Deakins, and the stunt coordinators is unimaginable and impressive, and we're sure it was a difficult task to pull off. Luckily, we think it paid off handsomely for them.
"1917" (2019) is more than just a sweeping technical accomplishment. We also found it to be an outstanding, scaled-down human story about two soldiers trying to pull off an insurmountable task. As Blake and Schofield travel across France, we learn about them and connect to them as characters while the horrors of the war unfold around them, and subsequently, us as audience members. The one-continuous-shot-style viscerally immerses us in WWI, making us feel like we're there as our heroes travel through trenches, underground in tunnels, and across fields where they are often forced to climb over the dead bodies of their fallen compatriots and foes. This is a film you can feel to your core. You can taste the gunpowder and smell the death in the air. You feel the muddy trails under your feet. The exploding bombs made us leap out of our seats. You feel the immense pressure and strain of their task at hand. It makes for a thrilling watch at the cinema. We feel like we're there, but we're sure glad we're not. Watching this movie made us think about the truly horrific nature of war, and it made us wonder, "why in the bloody hell would (certain) world leaders want to send their citizens to war ever again? Why would/do people champion this?" In the time that we get to know Schofield and Blake, we learn about their pasts and their futures on an intimate level. They often argue about the meaninglessness (or for one of them, the importance and value) of war medals. One of the men thinks that a medal is merely a scrap of ribbon and consolation tin for those who were lucky enough to make it out alive while others died in droves. The other sees bravery and importance, a "prize" at the end of the road that is a necessary reminder to keep moving forward. It's through these discussions that we connect with them and get invested in whether or not they complete their mission.
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| In "1917," George MacKay stands near an explosion in a trench with other soldiers as they prepare to run into battle. (Image Source) |
"1917" (2019) shows that war is the ultimate ugliness of man, though it is shown in a beautifully crafted, intensely realistic way. This film is the reason IMAX screens were made. We believe it is worth seeing for its technical mastery and for its intimate human narrative.
BigJ's Rating: 9/10
IMDB's Rating: 8.6/10
RT Rating: 89%
Do we recommend this movie: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!
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