Mel Gibson's testament on war pacifism packs a punch, and not without the grisly portrayal of war

Rating: 8/10 (7 November 2016)

There are very few directors out there who portray the dark side of religion and war as powerfully as Mel Gibson. Looking back at the critically acclaimed 'Braveheart' and the highly controversial 'Passion of The Christ', Gibson's depictions of violence clashing with spirituality has proved to be far more effective than contrived; and this World War II biopic centering on the true story of a soldier driven by his firm spirituality to the take a different path in active combat instead of being a man carrying a gun in the midst of the bloodshed. His path is not to take the lives of others with the use of bullets, but save them. What could have been just your average faith-based drama feeling like a clichéd religious sermon ends up being a powerful testament of war pacifism and a man's challenge against the tyranny that targets his religious ideology. The film tells the true story of Desmond Doss (played by Andrew Garfield), a devout Christian and member of the Seventh-Day Adventist raised by his caring mother Bertha (played by Rachel Griffiths) and abusive alcohol father Tom (played by Hugo Weaving) strained by his experience in World War I. With World War II ravaging, Desmond enlists in the army as a Conscious Objector. During boot camp training, he faces causes displeasure in his drill sergeant (played by Vince Vaughn) when he refuses to touch a gun due to his religious beliefs. But when his platoon is deployed on the battlefield in Okinawa, Japan, Desmond proves to be more worthy as a soldier than many believe when saves over 50 wounded soldiers -- and doesn't even fire a single shot.
One of the biggest ironies is how Mel Gibson cohesively makes a case of pacifism through an unflinchingly brutal portrayal of the horrors of war, and the story of how lead character Desmond Doss must face the violent nature of active combat that greatly conflicts with his religious beliefs. The first half of the film introduces Desmond as a young man who embraces his spirituality, while forced to deal with abusive upbringing by his father Tom who feels scarred by his son when he decides along his Howard (Desmond's brother) to enlist in the war, recounting his harrowing experience in World War I that costed the lives of his friends. Along the way, we are then introduced to hot-shot nurse Dorothy (played by Teresa Palmer) who Desmond quickly forms a relationship and provides some sweet moments of levity and connection for Desmond when he out overseas on the battlefields, though the depiction of their romance is a bit hokey and somewhat awkward during the first half-hour. Ultimately, the first hour is primarily about establishing Desmond's pacifism and the cruel nature in which he endures when he makes himself the center of ridicule by his officers and fellow comrades who view of his refusal of abandoning his firmly held conviction against fighting as an act of cowardly, which is gracefully brought together in the boot camp training sequences in the fashion of 'Full Metal Jacket'.
Most of Mel Gibson's directing style shines through not only the performance aspect, but the incredibly realistic (and horrifyingly graphic) combat sequences. Shot with quality cinematography by Simon Duggan, the second half pulls viewers into the muggy heat of the Japanese battlefields as we watch the soldiers trudge the muddy fields little with decapitated bodies, dismembered corpses, dead soldiers rotting and getting fed off from rats; and the gruesome scenery firmly sets the tone for some of the most graphic and astoundingly authentic battle sequences since 'Saving Private Ryan'. If you recall the heart-wrenching Omaha Beach invasion in the opening scene, the battle sequences are here feel nothing short of an extension to this. With limbs blown off, bodies disemboweled, and heads torn apart; these combat sequences portray the hellish reality of active combat, and does so without feeling gratuitous or exploitative. Along with Mel Gibson's execution of war are some unexpected surprises that arrive from the performance department. One of which is Andrew Garfield as the lead Desmond Doss in a powerful performance that expands upon his ingenious talent compared to his ill-fated outing in the 'Spiderman' reboot franchise. Vince Vaughn, an actor slowly fading away from his series of dull comedies , delivers an R. Lee Ermey treatment in his role as the ruthless and intimidating drill sergeant. Though a little clumsy in some scenes, he manages pull off the rare feat of escaping into a sincere performance.
Hacksaw Ridge is a powerful and deeply gripping testament on its lead subject's war pacifism, and marks a highly admirable directorial return for Mel Gibson. This film is certainly no cinematic landmark in the war genre, but it stands strong as one of the most profound films of the year. If this film manages to garner some Oscar nominations, it shouldn't much of a surprise.