One of the most inspirational movies of the decade and the best film of the year

Rating: 10/10 (26 November 2016)

Not since Saving Private Ryan has a war movie balanced mainstream appeal with the realism, brutality, and gruesomeness of the battlefield. With Private Ryan, it was D-day and the landing of Normandy beach, France. With Hacksaw Ridge, it's the battle of the escarpment in Okinawa, Japan. Both were pivotal, defining battles towards the end of World War II.
The final third of Hacksaw Ridge is pure hell and won't be for the faint of heart. But Mel Gibson knows this is war, and he did his research to make it as realistic as possible while still delivering fan service action scenes. A lofty score backs the action, pulling at the heart strings while these brave heroes sacrifice their lives for the freedom of their wives, children, and future children. Yes, it's a battle between good and evil, and a climactic scene toward the end powerfully juxtaposes the doctrine of the axis leading to suicide-by-sword of their commander with the hero's bible as the ally forces take command of the ridge. Beliefs here matter.
This is a far contrast from the first half of the film, which shows the main character and hero, Desmond Doss' more innocent and peaceful upbringing and courtship of his future wife. Although Doss is raised in a relatively normal southern rural community as a 7th day Adventist, his religious faith, his dad is an alcoholic who struggles with his demons from serving in World War I.
Hacksaw Ridge draws the line between heaven and hell, peace and war. In both, love is the glue that holds things together and wins battles. Love wins wars. Doss, according to his faith and convictions, chooses not to fight fire with fire, and in doing so, he may get wounded and burnt, but he manages to save his soul and about 75 of his fellow brothers and soldiers in one of the most brutal and unforgiving bloodbaths of the second world war. As a true real life hero, he is given the medal of honor, becoming the first conscientious objector to ever do so, by Harry S. Truman.
This movie will move you to tears and will go down as one of the most inspirational and uplifting movies of the decade. While it has its moments of let downs here and there throughout the script (it wasn't written by Gibson, who does superb directing in it) which some people will criticize, many people will label it a masterpiece. It's such a great story to anyone open to receiving it.
With strong faith and a good soul, one can be subjected to the depths (and heights) of hell, battle-scarred, bloodied, and broken, and still come out and return whole. Desmond Doss, a real life war hero who saved 75 wounded men without ever firing a gun or resorting to violence, did just that.