1917 (2019)

War is an intense game for survival. And there have been many battles that have been retold by Hollywood over many years. One such notable event, World War I, is often overlooked by the general public, mostly because the United States entered the war quite late. But for the rest of the world, it was known as The Great War. Especially in Great Britain, where the subject of today's review is going to take fold. With “1917”, the audience gets to witness the struggle for survival take place, and enjoys breathtaking cinematography and action at the same time. There are some issues presented in the film, but for the most part, they are minor, and the rest of the film stands out on its own accord. In watching “1917”, the viewer is transported to a war that many have overlooked in cinema, but it a prime example of what it means to survive in intense times.

In this dramatic tale, we follow two soldiers during the last stretch of WWI. They have been informed from their commanding general, that an enemy attack is going to surprise a battalion, and their orders are to deliver a message to stop the army from attacking by standing. The only problem is, the army that the soldiers are going to, is a very long distance away, and they have to travel fast. Now, it is a race not only for a win, but for survival as well.

“1917” is a grand and dramatic war film that has a lot of good things going for itself.

First off, the acting is delivered with intensity and seriousness, that it almost makes it look like you forget that you are watching a movie. Everyone does a great job with there roles, and this is all handled very well thanks in part due to the direction from Sam Mendes. Here, his direction is both exceptional and magnificent, as he manages to continue the action in one, long, continuous shot. But, we'll talk about that later; for now, Mendes delivers an extraordinary movie that accounts a horrific event to a lot of people seem to overshadow.

The technical aspects of this movie is truly outstanding and perfect. The sound editing and mixing is superb; everything is heard from the stomping of footsteps, to explosions being set off, this is a film that rebels in its sound. The visual effects are pretty amazing as the use of practical and digital effects make the audience go back to that early time period. And the real star of the feature is the cinematography. Along with the costumes fitting the time period, the movie looks absolutely gorgeous, despite its intensity. Everything is shot magnificently, and “1917” can be the definition of eye candy.

However, the real technical achievement here goes to the editing. Or lack thereof. You see, the whole film is delivered in one, long, continuous shot. But, with clever tricks, some viewers will find where scenes have been cut, and where the action continues. With “1917”, we see everything unfold as if it were the real thing.

There are some flaws; minor ones at best, but that does not deviate from sheer spectacle of the movie.

For starters, the score by Thomas Newman is not that engaging. Perhaps it could provide a much more sympathetic score, or have music being played at the appropriate time, but the score just doesn't do it for me. Also, the script, while engaging with its action and dialogue, does offer some inconsistencies within the time frame of the movie. Plus, there are a lot of conveniences thrown in that make the adventure more easy to grasp and take hold. But again, these are just minor complaints.

Overall, “1917” is a visual masterpiece that needs to be seen. Sure, there are some problems, but, the end result, is one of the most satisfying features that has been made about World War I.