Excellent biographical war picture

Rating: 8/10 (5 September 2017)

Even if a few liberties were taken with Desmond Doss's life story to make the story more 'romantic' (Doss did not miss his wedding), 'redemptory' (his father didn't produce a letter from a general 'in the nick of time' to save his son from a court-martial), and 'dramatic' (Doss had seen combat and had been cited for valour before the Battle for Okinawa), "Hacksaw Ridge" is still a great movie about a fascinating historical personage. The battle scenes seem realistic: chaotic, noisy, and gruesome (but I have no military experience with which to judge). The first half of the film is a bit slow, yet I was surprised that there were no scenes of his medic training (the sudden jump from the court martial to Okinawa was unexpected). Politics and perspectives change, and some people may be upset at the portrayal of the Japanese soldiers and the religious message underlying Doss's heroics, never-the-less, this is a well-made, exciting, inspiring and worthwhile film.