Jaw - Dropped, Breath - Taken

Rating: 10/10 (16 January 2020)

The expectations for "1917" were huge - and not let down. This was my 7th Sam Mendes movie & the 4th 10/10, earned truthfully. Teaming up with the master of craft Roger Deakins and successfully casting a stellar lead - George MacKay, Mendes has orchestrated an exhilarating journey through the horrors of war.
Amazing filmmaking mastery, every element of it at play in "1917", makes it one of the (if not 'the') best war epics of the 21st century, taking its rightful place besides the great "Saving Private Ryan" in my book. It's not a movie with an extensive plot, but rather a tightly packed depiction of the fundamentals of war. As we're following - quite literally - our main protagonist William Schofield, he takes us through all the dirt, mud, blood, sweat and bullets, while also never forgetting the meaning of friendship, companionship and all that's beautiful inside a man. George MacKay truly shines in a portrayal that feels intimate to the viewer. While unmistakably being the very central character, the rest of the cast plays their parts excellently as well. One can't begin to compliment enough the aesthetical pleasures of "1917", it's masqureeding as a one-shot movie, very impressively so, and shows off an effortful down-to-the-last-detail production design. Really, it must be the best looking, most jaw-dropping war movie since the 1998's "Saving Private Ryan". Original score is no less impressive & I'm willing to bet the lot of us were happily surprised (and soon emotional) when hearing the "Poor Wayfaring Stranger" far away in the woods.
Believe all the people who recommend experiencing "1917" on the biggest screen You can find - they are absolutely right. Sam Mendes's latest is an impressive feat, a breathtaking cinematic expierence, a war film with as much horror as heart. My rating: 10/10.