Review: 1917

Directed by Sam Mendes

Starring: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman

The plot follows two young British soldiers during World War I who are given a mission to deliver a warning of an ambush during a skirmish, soon after the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line during Operation Alberich in 1917.

Ever since I heard of this film, and the rumors of it being comprised of largely one continuous shot, I was excited. When I heard the DP was Roger Deakins, I got more excited, and when I heard it was a WW1 film, I turned on all my alerts for this film. In a world filled largely will WW2 films, director Sam Mendes, who directed films such as Skyfall and American Beauty, and the cinematographer of Blade Runner 2049, Sicario, you name it, came together to tell a unique story about one of the most horrifying wars in history. What's not to get excited about?

The story is simple, but the way the story is told is unique and gripping. The film experiments by telling the story with a series of one takes from beginning to end. In the end, it worked as it is both effective and immersive. The acting was great, and everyone did a great job performing their roles. The only issue I found with the film was the lack of plot and character development. While it was basic and simple, if they fleshed it out more, it would have a more emotional drive.

The cinematography is perfect, and I mean it. Roger Deakins proves yet again as one of the greatest cinematographers in the film industry, as he is able to capture and frame the horrifying tone and atmosphere of one of the bloodiest war in human history. The sound is great, and I literally jumped at one specific scene because of how loud it was. The music was also great and fit the tone of the film with it's suspense and tension.

In conclusion, it is a gripping World War I film that uniquely tells it's stories with beautiful cinematography and great performances. The film went into the golden globes under the radar due to , and I absolutely believe it is a serious contender for categories it was nominated for in the Academy Awards. Go see it if you haven't already, preferably in IMAX of course.

My rating: 9.5/10

#FilmReview #2020