Is it also one of the best war movies of all time?
After much anticipation, I finally got to see 1917 Friday. And buddy, let me just say, it was worth the wait. After taking home Golden Globe awards for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Director, 1917 and director Sam Mendes deserve all the awards and accolades they are bound to receive at the Oscars in February. This movie won't be for everyone, and I've already read some negative comments, but it is a technical masterpiece. The whole thing is shot with long takes edited together to make the entire film appear as one continuous shot. In other words, there are no cuts in the movie and the camera never strays far from our two main heroes. It looks beautiful. There is minimal use of CGI in this movie, everything is practical. Real trenches were dug, bunkers and other set pieces were all built and it looks so dang good. It really is a gorgeous movie to watch and makes you feel like you are immersed there with our heroes, witnessing the atrocities of World War 1 which was one of the most horrific wars in history.
As for the story, it is hard to talk about without spoilers so I will get into those with a warning after this, but this section is entirely spoiler free. Sam Mendes drew inspiration for 1917 from stories his grandfather told him about WWI. In the movie, two young British soldiers, Schofield and Blake, are given orders to hand deliver a message to the 2nd Battalion of Devonshire Regiment, a line infantry that is planning to attack their German foes. The Germans are planning to ambush 2nd Battalion and all 1600 men, including Blake's brother, will die if Schofield and Blake cannot cross enemy lines to deliver the message calling off the attack. Along the way they encounter battlefields, no-man's land, enemy bunkers on the front line, airplane dogfights, and bombed out towns. As we follow Schofield and Blake on their mission, the horrors of WW1 become all too real and the viewers are exposed to fantastic cinematic shots. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. It's different from the anxiety induced by something like Uncut Gems, but the tension is still there.
The cast was really great, George McKay and Dean-Charles Chapman (he played Tommen in Game of Thrones) did a good job playing the two young British soldiers. I think one reason some have disliked 1917 is that they didn't connect as well with the characters, which is understandable. For me, I really connected with these two young Lance Corporals, thrust into the belly of the war. They were horrified to leave the trenches and cross no-man's land into the unknown which is exactly how I would be if I was sent out on this mission. Lives were at stake, but they had to press on, and I was rooting for them to make it. The rest of the cast playing supporting roles were essentially the British superteam of actors. Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, and Richard Madden all lent their talents to 1917. There were two scenes that really stood out to me - one with a plane and the one that has been circulating on Twitter of Schofield running across the battlefield. There are some shocking moments and I shed some tears in this movie, not gonna lie. 1917 is one of 2019's best movies and I definitely recommend seeing this technical masterpiece on the big screen, comparable to something like Dunkirk. If you liked Dunkirk, you will most likely enjoy 1917.
Now, if you have seen 1917 or don't care about spoilers keep reading! Last warning for SPOILERS! If you are checking out here, thank you for reading and go see 1917! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!
Final warning.... There is only one really big spoiler for this movie. 1917 does something shocking under an hour in. Schofield and Blake, tasked with saving Blake's brother and the rest of the 1600 men, stumble upon a barn and above them a German plane is shot down by two British fighters. The plane crashes and Schofield and Blake save the German soldier from the fiery wreckage. While trying to tend his wounds and get him some water, Blake is fatally stabbed by the German! I was STUNNED that they killed off the co-lead 45 minutes into the movie. And if one of them was going to die, I would have put money on Schofield, considering it was Blake's brother they were trying to reach. It really made the rest of the journey for Schofield much more emotional. He didn't really want to be there in the first place as Blake chose him be his companion. But now he had to carry out the mission alone for his fallen friend. Schofield faces more Germans and helps a young girl along the way, eventually reaching 2nd Battalion in time to call off the attack. He finds Blake's brother and tells him of the sacrifice Blake made and asks to write their mother.
1917 is an emotional journey and unique look at World War 1. A war that get put on the Hollywood backburner most of the time in favor of WW2. I think it is super cool that director Sam Mendes drew on stories from his grandfather. While I'm not ready to delcare 1917 as the best war movie, for me that is still Saving Private Ryan, it is definitely one of the best. Go see this movie and let me know what you think!
- BH
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