A film worthy of the man

Rating: 8/10 (10 August 2017)

Plot; Based on the story of Desmond Doss, who volunteered for the U.S. Army during World War II despite his personal objections to violence and his refusal to kill or carry a weapon into combat.
Like an actual soldier, Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge hones its craft early on, but it earns its stripes in combat. The first half is important, setting up the circumstances that make us care when the bullets begin to fly, but in truth it's stuff that could've been directed by anyone. It's the second half that could only have been directed by Mel Gibson. Whatever the man's missteps and personal foibles over the years, he's proved himself to be a compelling filmmaker, and never more so than here. Putting us right in the thick of battle, Gibson makes you feel every explosion, hit and near-hit. It's visceral in the best sense of the word. He tiptoes the line between unflinching and excess at times, but never crosses it. What he accomplishes here with a $40 million dollar budget is nothing short of remarkable.
The cast is every bit the director's equal, with fine supporting performances from Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Vince Vaughn, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving and Rachel Griffiths and a powerhouse turn from Andrew Garfield, absolutely earning his Oscar nomination as Desmond Doss.
War films can be cliché, and there's certainly some of that here, but keeping the compass true north is that the heroics of Desmond Doss need no embellishment. Without carrying a weapon, he stumbled back time and time again into the thick of battle to rescue 75 men. It's the sort of thing that would be eye rolling to even the least cynical person if it weren't completely true. I'm pleased to say Gibson and company have given Doss a film worthy of his actions.