Doss deserves better.

Rating: 6/10 (30 July 2017)

A wonderful story, but overwrought and clumsy in a way that its real-life character doesn't deserve. The movie captures a dubious trick of being both overly melodramatic and emotionally unengaging. Andrew Garfield is the best thing about the movie: human, flawed and heroic in ways that feel very true to life. Hugo Weaving and Rachel Griffiths do very good work too. Sadly, the rest of the movie doesn't live up to their performances. Doss' platoon-mates are poorly realized and unmemorable; we struggled to keep track of who was supposed to be who. The battle scenes are over-the-top orgies of mud, blood, flame, and suffering, with no rhythm or sense of moving action. This blunt force trauma builds until the final shot, which is hamfisted and groan-worthy. Only the coda, delivering interviews with the actual participants, brings the movie to a somewhat satisfying conclusion. I understand why people would want this to be a better movie than it is, but how Gibson received a Best Director nomination is beyond me, and must be a victory for politics over sense.