War movie masterwork

Rating: 10/10 (10 September 2017)

Mel Gibson is a director with two masterpieces behind him - the superlative BRAVEHEART and the even better APOCALYPTO. Sadly, due to his ridiculous pillorying in the press and subsequent ostracising in Hollywood, he hasn't directed a film for a decade, but now he's back with HACKSAW RIDGE, the true story of a pacifist who joined the US army and took part in the Battle of Okinawa as a medic. The good news? Gibson hasn't lost his touch (of course), and this is his third masterpiece.
The story is traditional but keeps you watching via perfectly mannered performances and heartfelt storytelling. There's childhood experience followed by romance, and then training in the army. The first half of the film is something like a courtroom drama and it keeps you watching, but things don't get amazing until we move to the battle. The second half of the film is among the best war movie experiences I've ever had; the battle scenes are fast, brutal, incredibly realistic and expertly choreographed. They blow Spielberg's SAVING PRIVATE RYAN out of the water and left me feeling exhausted at the end of them.
It says something about Gibson that he elicits such fine acting from his players. Andrew Garfield embodies the lead in every respect, Hugo Weaving convinces as his alcoholic father, and even Vince Vaughn is decent. Sam Worthington and Richard Roxburgh show up as superiors, but it's unknown actors like Luke Bracey who really shine. The film is gory and graphic and quite disturbing, and the build-up to the action frightened me in ways that few horror films do. There's sentiment here too, but it's never over the top or twee. Gibson should be proud of this exemplary achievement.