What an experience

Rating: 9/10 (13 January 2020)

Now that all the glittery dust has settled at the golden globes and 1917 has made away with best picture award and stolen the weekend at the box office with over 37 million I finally got to see it. And guess what it was great. Sam Mendes's execution of the WWI flick is a unique, edge of your seat ride that follows two men as they try and warn a battalion before they fall into an enemy trap. George Mackay of Pride(2014) is our guide through a horrific war torn landscape that's as nightmarish as it is beautiful. The execution makes you feel as if the entire venture is one non stop shot that you're unwillingly participating in. Theres not alot of development character wise and that's definitely a conscious decision but because of that I felt oddly disconnected at times. That being said the first half of the movie has an intense first person flow to it that's almost unbearable at times. But when it finally breaks for air, when our lead comes into contact with a young woman it reminded me I was in a theater. It was a solid scene but definitely broke up the pace. That being said it returns to its anxiety splitting pace not long after. When I say this movie is intense I mean it but it does stop and smell the roses so to speak. It is quiet and inspired. The lead performance from George Mackay is really fantastic and definitely deserves some award attention as does the film which I'm sure will ring it up at the Oscars and deservedly so. From the sweeping but intimate cinematography to the nerve shredding score. Its definitely one of 2019s best.