I expected too much..

Rating: 6/10 (21 January 2020)

I see all the "OMG OMG 10 10" reviews and I feel most of those people got caught up in the "one shot" aspect of the film, and not the film itself.
Yes, the long cuts (because YES there are cuts...when the camera passes by a background object and when it cuts to black) are very awesome ...at first, but by the time the soldier gets a ride with another group of soldiers, all I kept thinking is "ok...we could use with a few time jumps here..." and by the time he ends up in the water, I was squirming with a desire for the fast forward button. It's like watching a REALLY awesome 3-D movie...you love it, but sometimes you just wish more was done for the script and less for the stunning shots. I hesitate to use the word "tiresome" but yes...
So my issue ...the options for modern films on WWI are very far and few between that aren't low low budget ...(lost battalion is AMAZING and a better film imo) and we don't really seem to get any glimpses of the horror that that war truly was (disease/pain/the water/cold/gas etc etc) and I had hoped this film would highlight some of that...but instead they went with a visual treat, which is fine...just not what I'd hoped for. They TRY to show you trench life, and life in the mud, but you never at any time really feel "what a nightmare" like Full Metal Jacket/Saving Pvt Ryan, etc etc. which again is fine. It's still a well made film, with many visually awesome shots, and some very slow moments as well. The problem is I don't believe any of these slow moments were intended to feel slow and boring.
As long as you keep one thing in mind you'll be alright. This is NOT an action movie, I'd dare say it's not even a "war" movie...it's about a movie set during a war is all. This film should've been marketed as a drama imo. And no I don't believe you have to show heads blown off or buckets of blood to make a good war film. "Final Journey" is a GREAT example of a WWI film with maybe 2% of this films budget that shows the hell of that war without gore.
Still a good film, but I don't believe this one will one day take its place among the all time Great War films..