Immersive experience through technical achievement

Rating: 8/10 (15 February 2020)

While 1917 is a great experience motsly due to the way it's shot and edited, the abscence of a good story really hurts it.
1917 does feel like a collection of war stories told by the people involved (which it surely is) but there is no rooting message in this story, no real characterizations or relatable human emotions. Some of the stories feel disconnected from each other and feel like filler.
If you disregard the single shot style of the editing, the film would feel no different than Midway, for example. Midway was a big budget spectacle with no story and little dramatic elements and this one is too. I understand the attempt to move from heroism cliches but having no emotional investment in a war film is not a good idea.
Aside from a couple of Mendes' trademarks like the truck scene (reminiscent of the Semper Fi scene of Jarhead) and night fire silhouettes (reminiscent of Skyfall), there is not much to grasp to.
It also has a big segment that is so tonally different and disconnected from the film it makes you wonder why did they put it in (the sniper scene and the follow-up with the baby).
1917 is a technical achievement with little to no essence. While this style of immersion is inspiring, more investment into the story would've made it even better.