Help me get one more

Rating: 9/10 (9 February 2017)

After hearing so many glowing reviews I caught this yesterday and wasn't disappointed. Mel Gibson might be a bit of a dick, but we have missed him as a director. Here he is at his sentimental best, holding back no punches in his personal views and making a pretty good damned film to go with it. Hacksaw Ridge tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector who still wanted to do his bit in WW2, and how he works during one of the wars bloodiest battles. I've never been a massive Andrew Garfield fan. Oh the boy can act, but he always has this look of someone who is hurt, pining for a lost love. He has always looked weak to me. In this he has grown up though. It's ironic that it takes a film where he won't hold a rifle to show that he is indeed a man, a telling tale for the world today. This is a film where everyone is just great, and it has a cast where that's the last thing you expect. Vince Vaughan is the rough and ready drill sergeant, with Sam Washington as the Captain in charge. Special mention needs to go to Theresa Palmer (so underrated, loving her more and more in everything she is in) and most of all Hugo Weaving, who may well garner an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of a broken father. The film does tug on the heart strings and probably takes some of the truths with a pinch of salt but this is exactly the kind of film we need in today's political climate. It is directed with maturity and gusto. Mel is a director not afraid to get his hands dirty and when the action is needed, he is among st the best in a realistic portrayal.