Two young British privates during the First World War are given an impossible mission: deliver a message deep in enemy territory that will stop 1,600 men, and one of the soldier’s brothers, from walking straight into a deadly trap.
“1917” covers a broad scope of human emotions regarding war, loss, and trauma as its central protagonist undertakes a harrowing mission to literally save thousands of lives. No, I’m not describing a superhero movie, at least not the kind you’re probably thinking of. Instead, I’m describing Sam Mendes-directed latest war film. Shot in a cinematic “all-in-one-take” style the film follows one lance corporal on a mission to deliver a cancel order for a British attack against the Germans in World War One. “1917” succeeds phenomenally in pacing by combining the ethos of soldiers (running the gamut of deep loss, anger, pity, and joy) with grand chase sequences and hardened combat scenes to create a stunning portrait of war in all its beauty and ugly.
The Germans are on the retreat in France and the British have them on the ropes. Aerial reconnaissance shows the Germans are goading the British troops into a trap. Privates Schofield and Blake are tasked with hand-delivering a cancel order to tomorrow’s invasion of German troops. The stakes? Thousands of British soldier’s lives. The journey? Across No Man’s Land, past German-burned France, and straight to the front line. These two soldiers rely on each other to survive the assault and deliver their message. Along the way, they’ll encounter death traps, falling airplanes, rooftop snipers, and hidden French maids. They’ll question the nature of the war, their involvement in it, and whether or not there’s true glory in war.
Sam Mendes wowed audiences with his profound emotive writing in “American Beauty.” He surprised us with harrowing chase scenes in “Skyfall.” This film combines the best of both providing not only a deep character study but an intense thrill ride from beginning to end. What makes this film such an accomplishment is its one-shot effect (wherein the entire movie appears to be one long shot unbroken by camera cuts.) To manage the pacing of a film as nuanced as this with elaborate action scenes an entirely godlike level of planning, and that planning paid off!
Every actor in this film turns in a strong performance. George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman guide us through this movie with their polar opposite performances. While Schofield’s cynicism originally propels him, Blake’s optimism and naivete help bring both of them to a place of peace. Sprinkle in star actors like Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, and Benedict Cumberbatch and you’re guaranteed strong performances. Whether it’s Andrew Scott’s cheeky nihilism (the funniest scene in the whole movie), Mark Strong’s commanding tone, or Cumberbatch’s sharp retorts, the supporting cast doesn’t fail the protagonists. I could commend this film for the performances alone.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the great Roger Deakins acting as Director of Photography for this movie. The one-take nature of the film does not allow as much beautifully staged shots as a typical Deakins film. Instead, it has to hover to create tension and continue tugging the audience along. In the few instances it stops to settle on an image, you can be sure it’s a masterful picture crafted with utmost beauty. In the only cut in the entire movie, there’s a sequence so masterfully lit and tense my jaw dropped. Allow me to say: If you’re a fan of “Skyfall” then you’ll enjoy this film as well.
This sort of Oscar bait always strikes big. A period piece with British actors being stalwart and saving lives. A technical accomplishment as well as an artistic flourish. A movie like this tends to sweep at the Oscars but don’t let that prevent you from seeing it. This film’s nail-biting sequences grip you in your seats and you constantly pray our two heroes survive this ordeal. I thoroughly enjoyed it and spent days digesting it afterward. I recommend you dig through it as well.
In Theaters Wednesday, December 25th
