Immersive World War 1 action puts you on the front lines

Rating: 8/10 (10 January 2020)

1917 sweeps through harrowing, high-stakes mission to deliver a critical message to the front lines late in the first world war. Two young friends accept an order to make the death-defying run, hoping to save the lives of 1600 of their countrymen.
The narrative itself contains few novel elements. We see stock characters like the crusty, jaded Colonel who "loves the fight", the wide-eyed youth eagerly following orders, the bell tower gunfight, the hero holding his friend as he dies - sputtering out his "tell my mom I love her" speech. The latter is a trope so common in earlier war films that it became a staple in parody. While familiar, it still works in this film because you are part of the action.
The viewer follows the mission in one continuous shot as an invisible first-person through filthy, crowded and rat-infested trenches with only a vein of grey sky visible overhead. Signs are posted around the corners warning soldiers to keep their heads down - and momentarily you might even find yourself ducking. Bullets crack into the rocks next to you and you scan around, trying to figure out where they're coming from. You are immersed in the action!
The attention to detail, the acting and the cinematography makes it all feel real. The experience is the selling point, so see it in the theater if you can!
Naturally, none of this would work if the acting wasn't spot on. There is little dialogue throughout, so a lot has to be conveyed with faces and they succeed here. The leads adeptly convey veneers of stoic bravery over terror, panic, relief and sorrow.
On the downside, the characters aren't explored too deeply but following along with relative strangers actually adds to the anxious "what am I doing here" vibe. The other gripe would just be that 1917 does check off a list of war movie cliches without breaking any ground, story-wise. I'm afraid that may make it less memorable, overall.
By the final frame, you get to exhale. The experience is worthwhile.