An accomplished war movie but not among the very very best

Rating: 7/10 (4 April 2020)

1917
'1917' is a technically impressive war movie from Director Sam Mendes.
Impressive because of the way in which it has been filmed. A continuous one long shot that tells the story of two soldiers during World War One.
They are tasked with delivering a message that will prevent 1600 soldiers from walking into a deadly trap.
In actual fact there's secret edits throughout the movie but Mendes and editor Lee Smith seamlessly hide these from the audience to create a real-time experience.
'1917' is a captivating movie and it's been heaped with praise since its release. It's good no doubt but I won't follow like sheep and say it's up there with the best of them.
Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay take on the daring mission. A race against time to stop hundreds of men from meeting their demise.
There's some wonderful set pieces and unexpected turns that will keep the audience invested but this is a war movie that never truly ignites.
There's no 'Saving Private Ryan' or 'Hacksaw Ridge' levels of grandiose.
Like those films it delivers a realistic depiction of war but not to the same scale.
In my opinion it's never magnificent enough to be up there with the best war movies ever made. My personal favourite being the aforementioned
'Saving Private Ryan'.
Mendes's film looks crisp and detailed in High Definition. Camerawork is supremely handled as the lens sweeps and cascades around war torn environments. Sound is also handled expertly and fans of the genre won't be disappointed.
I certainly enjoyed this movie and recommend you guys check it out.