The power of direction

Rating: 9/10 (19 January 2020)

"1917" It is a film, a film that transforms due to its applied technique, with a lint of script, the feature film directed by Sam Mendes conquers the viewer by its visual and technical direction, all simulated in a sequential plane and with a frightening sound mix, the claustrophobic and menacing film takes us on a journey that we will feel in our skin the linearity and terror of a war.
The script is simple and clear, two cables have the mission of taking a message from one point to another, until the success of your object is dubious, because the journey here is worth more than the conclusion, the two cables, lived by the actors George Mackay and Dean-Charles are doing very well, although the film doesn't leave much room for us to contemplate performances, George's few moments of terror and anguish are great.
In addition to a script that serves as an excuse to embark and enjoy a journey, the character developments are simple but profound, but the film puts itself at a pace where it is counterproductive to create depths, and when Sam Mendes does that, he is the only 5 minutes that we disconnected from the film.
The technique of the film is the one that most stands out, simulating a sequential plan of a war movie seems very bold, when "Birdman" did it 5 years ago we were delighted, here, this feeling is even more elevated, care of technique that Sam Mendes had here is something to think about, it is clear that the sequential plans are simulated, we perceive their cuts, however, the long planes conducted are diverse and bold, although many of them are with little action on screen, their conduct is magnificent, with several open plans and a constant contemplation of the disaster, with mutilated bodies, rats and dirt, the disgust and fear is passed on to the viewer who accompanies that narrative stuck in the chair, much because of this narrative conduction and other fundamental aspects too, his composition of scenery, his photography that in certain moments blurs in order to create tension and darkens in planes with strong lighting that turns scenes into horror films, and last, but not least, the sound, everything that surrounds this important component of war film is great, starting with its mixing and ending with its magnificent soundtrack, the composer Thomas Newman abuses classical music and its equalization sound, always with high and progressive tones, in order to lead the viewer to the climax, as an element of horror film.
"1917" is not a cinematic perfection, we have some errors of continuism (which are acceptable in a sequential plan), we also have a problem when the film uses special effects instead of practice, as such effects are very perceptible, even so "1917 "is a spectacular film, very similar to classics such as" Saving Private Ryan "and recent films like" dunkirk ", whose immersion capacity is the same.
Sam Mendes returns to be very prestigious 20 years after his classic "American Beauty" with an extremely technical film and who has everything, even in an extremely busy year to become the highlight of the Oscars and awards. NOTE 9/10