A Different (And Much-Needed) Kind Of War Movie

Rating: 9/10 (24 February 2017)

War is usually synonymous with death and loss...especially at the movies. Stories abound about individuals "doing what needs to be done", which usually involves quite violent, brutal acts in the name of country and duty. There is nothing wrong with those types of movies (as war truly is Hell), but Mel Gibson proves in "Hacksaw Ridge" that the story of war can also include men of peace.
For a basic plot summary, "Hacksaw Ridge" tells the story of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), a young man who volunteers to serve in WWII. He faces once pretty severe obstacle, however...the fact that he will not pick up a weapon (a combination of being a 7th Day Adventist and some past childhood experiences). After a fight just to be allowed to serve, Doss finally joins up as a medic on Okinawa, participating in the brutal "Hacksaw Ridge" campaign. Without a weapon of any kind, Doss continually runs into battle to save as many men as possible.
There is just something about the story of Desmond Doss that will resonate with most audiences. He had a battle just to serve, then a more literal battle in Okinawa. You have to respect an individual who manages to serve his country but still remain true to his own personal beliefs. Doss walks a fine line, to be sure, but his courage and fortitude stand out in the end.
It helps that Andrew Garfield is basically perfect casting for this type of film. Once Garfield stops screwing around with teen/Spidey roles, I could see him really establishing a serious acting presence. He combines boyish innocence with stern resolve (when needed).
Another thing to note about "Hacksaw Ridge" is that, much like Gibson's earlier "Passion of the Christ", the violence of the real world isn't shied away from whatsoever. The war scenes here are brutal, but aren't overdone. In fact, I felt like the movie did a better job than perhaps any I've ever seen of portraying the sheer terror of the battlefield. I was legitimately unsettled on a number of occasions.
Perhaps the highest praise I can give to "Hacksaw Ridge", however, is that by the end I was trying to hold back tears...and not succeeding. Doss's story is such an emotional one, and is portrayed perfectly as such, that it excellently stirs emotions. It's a story that needed to be told, and director Gibson was more than up to the task.