One of the year's best films; Garfield in a career defining performance of heart-breaking vigilance.

Rating: 10/10 (7 November 2016)

HACKSAW RIDGE (2016) **** Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer, Luke Bracey, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, Nathaniel Buzolic, Richard Roxburgh. Incredible true-story account of Desmond Doss (Garfield in a career defining performance of heart-breaking vigilance) a Virginia bred youth who enlists in WWII to become a field medic as a conscientious observer only to face a gauntlet of anger, indifference and resentment from the Army, his fellow soldiers and officers, while relying on his spiritual faith in God to get him thru literally a baptism of fire on the battlefield (skillfully and graphically recounted by Mel Gibson returning to form as a gritty filmmaker with no holds barred after a decade of personal controversy and questionable career choices). Well cast ensemble includes a funny and dedicated Vaughn as Doss' sergeant at arms/drill instructor, Worthington as his officer in command, Weaving and Griffiths as his loving yet troubled parents (Weaving is amazing as a demon-plagued alcoholic WWI vet who shows his true colors) and fresh-faced newcomer Palmer as his beloved fiancée. The war sequences are truly harrowing and give SAVING PRIVATE RYAN a run for its money on the bloodshed, anarchy and destruction embroiled on the big-screen. Epic filmmaking and a must-see to see what being a true hero is truly about thanks to a recognizable yet profound screenplay by Robert Schenkkan and Andrew Knight . One of the year's best films.