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1917 Movie Review

“If we’re not clever about this, no one will get to your brother.” - Lance Corporal William Schofield
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1917 is a war film directed by Sam Mendes.  It was given a limited release on Christmas of 2019, and was just given a wide release on January 10, 2020.  It stars George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Colin Firth.  The story follows two British soldiers in WWI, who are assigned to travel across enemy lines to prevent another regiment from walking into a trap set by the Germans.  
Ever since I first started hearing about 1917, I wanted to see it.  And now that I have seen it, I am confident in saying that this is not only Sam Mendeses’ best film since American Beauty, but it is also the finest war film I’ve seen since Hacksaw Ridge.  It does what good war movies should do: it immerses you in the action.  It makes you feel as if you are in the trenches or crossing enemy lines with these two soldiers.
The film is made to look like one massive tracking shot.  This is a technique that has been used before, notably in the 2014 film Birdman.  But this is the only war film that I have seen use this technique, and I am amazed that no other war film has ever done something like this before.  Cinematographer Roger Deakins creates some truly beautiful and intense images, and the way he captures barren landscapes and abandoned structures is really eerie.  There are also a number of “impossible shots” that made my jaw drop because of how technically brilliant they are.
Frequent Sam Mendes collaborator Thomas Newman wrote the score for 1917, and as to be expected from Newman, it is a masterpiece.  He can’t write bad music.  It’s funny how you can tell when a piece of music was written by Thomas Newman.  His style is so distinctive that it’s impossible not to recognize.  He has always been my favorite film score composer of all time, and he outdoes himself yet again with 1917.
My favorite aspect of 1917 is the writing.  The way the film is written is quite similar to Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk.  It is more focused on telling a broad story as opposed to going into detail with the characters.  For as much as we follow the two soldiers, we really don’t get to learn anything about their personal lives.  But nevertheless, they are still unbelievably compelling.  You don’t really need to know anything about their personal lives, because their actions define who they are.  They both are driven, focused, passionate and determined, and they will stop at nothing to complete their mission, even if it means death.  I loved how the two characters managed to feel real and relatable even though we never learn much about their lives outside of the war.
1917 is yet another film that I have a very difficult time finding flaws with.  Everything is done as well as it could’ve been done, and I consider it to be one of the best films of 2019.  It’s timely, relevant and thrilling, and I really hope that lots of people get to experience this film in theaters like I did.  
Rating: R
Grade: A+

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