1917 is the story of two young lance corporals—Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay)—who are charged with a nearly impossible task during the height of World War I: deliver a message. The letter contains orders from the British army for a nearby company to call off their planned attack, as it will lead to an absolute massacre of their troops given that Germans have laid a trap for the unsuspecting combatants. Getting the message delivered presents the greatest challenge as the two soldiers must stealthily cross a series of hostile enemy terrains with few resources and even less time to spare.
What works in 1917 is the incredible reconstruction of wartime aesthetic, culture, and experience. Writer/director Sam Mendes (Skyfall) with the assistance of renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049) craft a film that, sans hyperbole, is unlike anything before it. 1917 intends to feel to the audience like one continuous shot as in once the characters are introduced, the camera never breaks away from them. As a result, 1917 also has the sensation of unfolding and progressing in real-time (for the most part).
1917 is also successful due to the amount of laborious effort it took to create, especially given the multiple components necessary to execute it so flawlessly. The cast of characters are rich, and their depth is revealed not through exposition, but performance. The camerawork, as one might expect at this point, is nothing short of stunning especially when one has to consider the complications of following individuals as they traverse horizontally and vertically through and over obstacles. The script by both Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns (Penny Dreadful) is lean and expedient. And finally, the score by Thomas Newman haunts with a continuous sense of looming, heart-pounding dread, but never overpowers the proceedings. The combination of these elements makes for a cinematic environment that is engaging, intense, and visceral.
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Audiences who dislike wartime films that inevitably highlight the violence and horrors it creates will likely not prefer 1917 as much as others, given the movie contains some disturbing sequences. Furthermore, 1917 might feel exhausting for some patrons. The tension of the mission is introduced within first few minutes and it does not pause for breath until the credits. There is also the possibility of some viewers experiencing a slight degree of motion sickness given how the camera tracks its subjects, but for the most part, the shots are smooth.
1917 is a triumph of a film. It uses a fictionalized storyline to educate on how horrific and brutal the First World War was and honors those who served without glorifying atrocities. The most apt way to describe 1917 is the old phrase “better than the sum of its parts,” and its parts are extraordinary to begin with.
Recommended if you enjoyed: Saving Private Ryan, The Revenant, Dunkirk
FINAL GRADE: A
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