War films are a slippery slope. You can’t honestly say that you ‘enjoy’ them….at least, not the great ones, the ones that sufficiently honor the sacrifices exhibited. Rather, you admire them.
And leave little doubt, ‘1917’ is a motion picture to admire. Big time.
Directed, co-written and co-produced by Sam Mendes, the project is a labor of love for the filmmaker, as its inspired by the experiences of his grandfather. And the personal aspect of the whole thing likely makes ‘1917’ SUCH an effective story. The movie is wound with the tension that you’d expect, but at the center is an exquisite, intimate tale that you might not.
In the wake of a strategic German retreat during World War I, two Lance Corporals (Dean-Charles Champman and George MacKay) are ordered to deliver a message to the front line within the next few hours to prevent a massacre. From there, Mendes’ film unfolds in real time…and the result is a pressure pounder, heightened by the fact that the entire project is shot to look like a single, uninterrupted take.
That’s quite a feat. And much like the characters are tasked with moving forward, despite the horrific hurdles in front of them, we too slam ahead, never granted the breather of a cut. Not many films have the power to exhaust you – ‘1917’ most definitely does.
The supporting cast is a wealth of abundance in talent, from Benedict Cumberbatch to Mark Strong, Colin Firth and Andrew Scott. None of the roles are big, but all have significance. In fact, nothing is wasted in ‘1917’ – no shots, no details, no moments. The canvas that Mendes has carefully decorated with thrills and emotion finds its power in the little details, even when landscape becomes overly loud and utterly terrifying. The human aspect is what rules here, and as painful as it often is to experience, it’s jaw dropping. Awards have already landed in the hands of Mendes, and however many more follow, they’re deserved. All of them.
