A Simple Idea Executed Brilliantly

Rating: 9/10 (15 January 2020)

1917
Great Movie
It was refreshing that for once we had a director totally in control of his personal vision, from the script through the production to the directing and editing.
A deeply memorable movie for all the right reasons
What was good
Despite the over-arching matter of futile warmongering amid the squalor of the trenches the Director chose to put front and centre different themes to explore, mate-ship, grief is a luxury, human resilience, etc.
The tone and atmosphere was comprehensive, as with Hacksaw Ridge, we were there in the trenches our viewpoint was that of another soldier and we were forced to confront the horror.
The use of humour as a pressure valve, the audience laughed at some macabre incidents, this was very cleverly used.
The focus on the bonds that join men together in avarice, no conclusion was given, quite rightly, but it was palpable in its presence.
The incredible use of all the cinematic forces as a vehicle to forward the story, we were all engaged, this aspect was greater than the sum of its parts.
The score was really quite brilliant, the singing set piece was inspired.
The incredible focus of creating believable characters perhaps the triumph of of this movie, when Corporal Blake died we felt grief.
What was not so good
The pacing was slow bordering on stop, however this was entirely intentional.
The variety of the images, yes we had some diversion, the farm, the night scene, the cellar, the cherry orchard, the river, perhaps more arial shots or indeed the dog-fight.
Lack of redemptive conclusions, Schofield arrived at his personal epiphany but this was not rammed home.
With regard to awards, this year was overall a bad year for movies. This is perhaps best of the bunch with Ford v Ferrari a close second.