A triumph for Gibson

Rating: 9/10 (26 October 2016)

No matter what you think about Gibson, and I don't think much of him as a man. He is an elite director. There is a unique genius in how he handles this film. I hope this does not constitute spoilers, I don't think it really does, but the battlefield scenes are the most harrowing I have ever seen. There is nothing left to the imagination with shock after visceral shock coming at you for a good twenty minutes. The effect is an adrenaline surge as you feel like you are trying to survive with Doss and the rest of his troop. The payoff occurs after Doss does what he does and comes off Hacksaw Ridge. It is so emotional. The effect is amazing and it is all steered by Gibson's intense direction. You may even think, oh God, this is just too much, as you are watching the battles unfold, but it all results in a unique payoff.
I like Garfield . He is a bit too goofy at the start and I feel like his hairdo makes him look more like the lead guitarist from the Spiders From Mars than a WWII hero. But once he gets in uniform his character really develops. Vince Vaughn seemed to love chewing the scenery as the Sarge, and Teresa Palmer was also solid.
As an agnostic, there was one scene at the end that I felt was a little over the top, but the religious angle is handled beautifully and the power of faith is a great lesson for anyone. This is going to be a real crowd pleaser, but it is decidedly not a family film despite the theme. It is the most violent film that I have ever seen.