Desmond Doss--A Genuine War Hero

Rating: Null/10 (21 February 2017)

The focus of "Hacksaw Ridge" is on the Battle of Okinawa in May, 1945. It was there that Private Desmond T. Doss, a conscientious objector serving as a medic, distinguished himself for his valorous rescue of wounded soldiers.
Andrew Garfield was excellent as Doss, and he was supported by an able ensemble of performers. Mel Gibson provided a sure hand in directing graphic battle sequences.
The only weakness of this fine film was in the opening section that sought to offer exposition of Doss's childhood and family background. These early scenes were far too complex than they should have been. There was excessive use of flashback and simply too many of the domestic sequences. It was difficult even to follow the basic family relationships in the abusive Doss family.
While it was important to show that young Doss was capable of applying a tourniquet and that he was a gentle, passive soul, the most important revelation about his abusive, drunken father did not even come until a flashback incorporated late into the film.
Apart from the clumsy and over-written opening segment, "Hacksaw Ridge" was a powerful and provocative war film.
For film-goers who enjoyed this film, an intriguing film that was released concurrently is called "Ithaca." There are remarkable similarities in the approach of the two films to the impact of World War II on the home front.