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Rating: 4.5 out of 5
I was trying to think of a movie that actually dealt with World War I. If you think about it, there really isn’t that many big-name movies that deal with World War I. The most popular one is probably All Quiet on the Western Front. If you never have read the book, you absolutely must. It is a classic. I was excited to see 1917 because you really don’t get a chance to see a movie based on World War I.
Let me tell you, Sam Mendes’ World War I epic is a thrilling war film that many should watch. The story is loosely based on a story that Mendes’ grandfather told about his time in the war. Can you just imagine sitting on your grandfather’s porch and listening to this story? What an epic tale to tell to your grandson. Very fascinating.
The movie starts off on April 6, 1917, somewhere in France. WWI has been raging on for almost three years. Two young British soldiers, Lance Corporal Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Lance Corporal Will Schofield (George MacKay), are given an urgent but almost impossible mission. The mission requires them to cross the deadly No-Man’s Land into enemy territory that has been recently abandoned by the German army. The two men commanding officer, General Erinmore (Colin Firth), informs them that he believes the retreat of the German army is a tactic to destroy two British battalions consisting of 1,600 men. One of the main reasons for Blake is that his brother is part of the battalion that is about to attack. With the British army’s phone lines disabled, Blake and Schofield must take on the hellish task of crossing into enemy territory and reach the battalions’ commanding officer to stop the attack before a massacre happens.
First, major f****n props need to be given to cinematographer Roger Deakins! The major talk about this film was about how the film used long takes to make it seemed like one continuous shot. As the novice film person that I am, I had no idea what this meant until I saw the film. Actually, two scenes showed the greatness of Deakins and Mendes. The first scene where you felt how excellent the cinematography was and exemplified the one long shot was the first 25 minutes of the whole film. At first, when we are introduced to Lance Corporal Will Schofield and Lance Corporal Tom Blake, they are sitting under a tree, and this is the beginning of the shot. We travel with them as they get their orders for their mission all the way until they make it through No-Man’s Land to their actual fight. Deakins makes you feel that you are actually a third person with them. It was a way that made my skin get chills and made my breathing become faster because it seemed like I was in the trenches with them all the way until the end. Not Saving Private Ryan intensity, but it damn near came close.
The second scene where the cinematography was amazing was the scene where Schofield has to get his message to the Colonel and decides to run across the field to do it. You know almost every great war movie has that one scene that gives goosebumps to your skin and leaves you in awe. Glory had the siege on the fort. Saving Private Ryan had the siege on the beach. This movie was the final 15 minutes. As we are looking at Schofield running towards us, the battalions he is trying to stop are charging across the field as bombs are exploding everywhere. That was a truly amazing war scene, and the feel was so intense.
One of the greatest things that Mendes does and shows was the effect and feel of the trenches and No -Man’s Land. The scene of it was what really caught my eye, and it just had the feel of death. First, the trenches just seemed like hell. First, I couldn’t believe that so many men fought in that way, and just looking at the men made you feel bad for them. No-Man’s Land just looked like death, and Mendes made sure it was a place no one wanted to be and cross. Just watching this film made you see what this area was like. It’s one thing to read about it, but it is another to actually see it and almost feel it. Just the imagery was outstanding. First, there was no green grass anywhere. Just mud. Mud everywhere. Then there was the low-level fog and grey skies. It looked like a place no one should be. Finally, the corpses, the tank that looked like it was flipped over or all the barbed wire, it just added to the overall effect that Mendes wanted to add. Once Schofield and Blake make it through the area, the characters are introduced to green grass and blue skies. Amazing transition of one long scene to the next stage of these two men adventure.
The performances are quite strong and make this movie go. MacKay and Chapman are outstanding in their roles. Chapman is strong as Blake. The one who accepts the mission because he afraid for his brother’s safety and it shows. He stammers and just wants to run off without really thinking about what could happen. The one who carries the film is MacKay. The dude just holds our attention the whole movie. Looking at him actually makes you exhausted from what he went through. MacKay’s facial expressions and body language tell the tale of a soldier that went through some s**t.
Now I will say this, this film had some cameos like no other. It’s not on the level of Quentin Tarantino, but it does have some big names. Each of these big names gets like maybe five sentences and then their out. Never to be seen again. Each one makes their presence known and actually commands the screen for the limited time they are seen. The big names that appeared were Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden, and Andrew Scott.
Lastly, I want to give a shout out to Thomas Newman and the score that he made. Newman’s music was dramatic but so effective where it actually made you feel like you were going step to step with Blake and Schofield on their journey. Newman’s score presented a sense of urgency and kept you so in tune with the movie.
1917 is a film that many need to watch. It is not every day that a movie about World War I comes along. Mendes does a fantastic job with the direction of this film. Deakins needs to be applauded for what he showed with this film and how it was shot. Go watch this epic movie!
