A modern Sergeant York

Rating: 9/10 (4 November 2016)

Mel Gibson has put together a great bunch of (mainly Australian) actors who bring their characters to life. Andrew Garfield does an amazing portrayal of Desmond Dos, and full marks have to go to Vince Vaughn who makes a brilliant sergeant.
The first half of the film is very similar to Sergeant York, except that Desmond Dos won't touch a gun. We can only marvel at his strength of convictions.
Given that war films are a dime a dozen, and the initial barrack room scene has been done to death, the initial barrack room scene in this movie is original and novel. It is also quite funny.
The second half of the movie provides many examples of Dos' courage. A courage that most of us can only wonder at. Here is a man who is prepared to go into battle unarmed, with the sole aim of saving lives.
Unlike in We Were Soldiers, Mr Gibson seems to have kept a lot closer to the facts, although he still put in his customary bayonet charge near the end.
Showing the actual interview with Desmond Dos at the end was the icing on the cake.
I was very surprised to read in Wiki that Dos did many more heroic deeds than those displayed in the movie, and that he was wounded three times.
A true hero and a great film.