A New War Film for The Ages.

Rating: 9/10 (3 April 2020)

I enjoy a good war film once in a while, in fact some of them end up becoming favorites of mine (Apocalypse Now, Ran, Tae Guk Gi, Platoon, etc). Sam Mendes initially got the idea to do a World War I film after hearing war stories from his grandfather Alfred, who had been a runner in the British army during the war. Not many films have been made about the First World War, as destructive as it was it was later overshadowed by its even more destructive successor. There have certainly been a few, like Peter Weir's Gallipoli and Paul Gross' Passchendaele, itself an under-appreciated effort, that come to mind. But none have managed to reach the mainstream like 1917 has managed to, with big names like Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins being a part of the project. But man does it work.
While Deakins' cinematography has received the most attention, an aspect of the film that I found being underplayed would be the phenomenal acting from the cast. In particular, we have George MacKay carrying the film through his magnificent performance, I might go as far as saying this might be one of my favorite performances that I have managed to see this year. One moment in particular shows Mackay's character sitting in a truck reeling over what has happened to him as of this far and the raw emotion that he shows on his face conveys everything that he's going through and it was magnificent. We also get appearances from other actors such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Game of Thrones' Richard Madden, and a nearly unrecognizable Colin Firth (I say nearly, as his voice gives him away), though there's not much to talk about in terms of their characters or performances. MacKay's character is the focus, as it is his story that we follow throughout the film. Another aspect of the film that has been overlooked is its masterful handling of suspense and tension, there are plenty of scenes throughout the film that drip with tension throughout the entirety of the film. If I recall correctly Chris Stuckmann mentioned that the film takes from the so called 'Breaking Bad handbook' that things go wrong a lot during the film, and I would agree with that statement.
If I didn't talk about the cinematography from the great Roger Deakins then I wouldn't be able to get away with this review. While I thought that the one shot gimmick was quite pretentious in Birdman, it works well in the context of this film. There are visual nods to other war films, in particular Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. It also goes to show that Deakins is the most accomplished cinematographer working in Hollywood today, his composure of shots throughout the film have a truly eyegasmic quality to them, particularly during the nighttime scene.
No film is perfect...well maybe there's a few, but that's an entirely different conversation for another time. The point that I'm trying to make is that this film has problems, as many films do. My main issue with the film is the lack of proper characterization. Sure, the characters do have personalities that we see throughout the film, but I did want a little more from them. That being said, the physical acting from MacKey speaks more than words could ever put. His actions and drive to keep living is what determines his character, and there is something to be admired about it.
1917 is a dark film, but there is still hope and light that can be found within it. It's a love letter to the countless men who gave their lives without becoming gimmicky as some other films can do.