Another Good Film by Mel Gibson

Rating: 8/10 (27 January 2017)

Hacksaw Ridge is a really enjoyable but slightly cheesy film. It's split into two parts: the pre-war era when we get to know the characters, their upbringings and love interests, and the subsequent battle of Okinawa and Hacksaw Ridge, but it's only at the very end of the film that it truly gets going with Private Doss's amazing heroics, which were quite emotional to watch. Mel Gibson directed the finale very well.
It's a good addition to Mel Gibson's resume, but not quite his best picture because of its lack of grittiness (which is an odd thing to say considering the inclusion of extremely graphic scenes of dismembered limbs and spewing intestines). It was too awkward and self-conscious in places and could have done with less 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' fantastical heroics - being pulled along by the medic, on a blanket-on-wheels, fast enough to get away from the pursuing Japs, but steady enough to still rain down hell with a machine gun (even though his legs were riddled with bullets). Slightly ridiculous, and Full Metal Jacket or Saving Private Ryan this film is not, but it's still a good watch in a strangely gentleman-like way.
What Mel Gibson does really well is to paint the picture of the messiah, a true hero that everyone hates at first but comes to revere over time, and that's why I've rated this film an 8 instead of my initial 7, because of its stellar ending.
An enjoyable film which grabbed 95% of my attention, especially at the end. It's nice to learn new historical facts about WW2 battles and the people involved, so if you know nothing about Desmond Doss and his heroics, and enjoy war-time films with a dollop of moral pie, look up this film. Recommended.