"We need to keep movin'. Come on!"

Rating: 10/10 (18 January 2020)

Impressively filmed, the movie's staging, set design, lighting, cinematography and choreographed action sequences are all top notch and deserving of recognition. I should mention the soundtrack as well, which complements the story as two young soldiers progress their way through No Man's land to deliver an urgent message to a distant unit that faces annihilation. The film makers wisely selected two relatively lesser know actors for the film's protagonists so that celebrity wouldn't get in the way of the story. I was somewhat surprised that Dean-Charles Chapman, portraying Lance Corporal Blake, didn't make it to the end of the movie. His death before mid-picture left Lance Corporal Schofield (George MacKay) the unenviable task of making his way alone across enemy held territory to complete an almost impossible mission. Among a number of astonishing scenes, I was most impressed with the German plane crash that came within inches of claiming the lives of both men. Though the picture claims it's status as being filmed in one continuous tracking shot, there appear at least one or two instances where that might not have been the case, one in particular being quite obvious, even if masked rather well. Even so, the technique may very well earn Sam Mendes the Best Directing Oscar, along with Cinematography and Production Design. The trenches and battleground scenes are particularly impressive, especially near the finale in which the British unit prepares for it's assault. In any case, the picture stands as a worthy achievement in film making, and is especially recommended.