Perfection

Rating: 10/10 (22 November 2016)

'Hacksaw Ridge' is the kind of film you don't even have to think about what you're going to rate it, it's simply a '10', no questions asked. This is unquestionably the best film I have seen so far in 2016 and incidentally the only '10' I have given out this year. I went in expecting it to be good, I had heard good things, and it still managed to top my expectations and blow me away. That's a sure sign of quality. Films you expect to be good going in have a lot tougher time impressing you than films you have no high hopes for obviously, so 'Hacksaw Ridge' must be a hell of a film. Another sign of quality is when the run time flies by. At 139 minutes, this is a long film by modern standards. However, the time just evaporates and when the credits roll you can't believe it's already over.
So what makes it so good? Let's start with Mel Gibson's direction, it's impeccable. The pacing, the story, the characters, the action, it's all handled absolutely masterfully and just blends together perfectly to make such a nice viewing experience. The tone of the film is very heavy at times, particularly in the second half. The action is absolutely chaotic and yet somehow Gibson manages to make it all extremely easy to follow and keep track of everything that is going on. He also holds nothing back. It's almost unbearably gruesome at times and yet it's so good it's almost like he's sitting in the seat behind you, forcing your head still and making you watch.
Andrew Garfield in the lead role was mind-blowing. He made me genuinely care for the character and sold me in every scene. The other person who blew me away was Vince Vaughn. I wasn't sure going in exactly what I was going to get from him. After his first scene though I finally understood his casting, and it was perfect. In a very similar role to R. Lee Ermey's in 'Full Metal jacket' Vaughn makes us laugh, but never at the expense of his character. We still respect him with our utmost sincerity, and you can tell the characters do as well. Again, we also care immensely for the outcome of his character. In that respect he was probably better than Ermey, but Ermey still topped him in terms of the verbal onslaught he unleashes on the soldiers.
There's literally no aspect of the film I can think to criticise. It's as close to perfection as films generally come. I would advise you to come along prepared for a very moving film, both emotionally and visually. There are some very heavy moments, but if you're game, they all add to the incredibly high quality of the film.