1917 is a World War I film that focuses on two British Lance Corporals who are tasked with crossing deep into enemy territory in order to deliver a message that will save 1,600 men from an ambush. The urgency of the mission is heightened by the fact that one of the men who will be saved is the brother of one of the young soldiers. The trailer tells you everything you need to know going into this film.
Simple but Gripping
1917 isn’t a film that is full of plot twists and surprises. It is a very straight forward film. However, this doesn’t mean that it isn’t a gripping and harrowing tale. You follow Lance Corporals Blake and Schofield as they traverse the hellscape between their trenches and the encampment of the forces they are trying to rescue. Their motivations are simple but the outcome is unsure.
What makes this film work so well on a narrative level is that before long you feel like you know the leads. It’s obvious that they are friends and, through their banter, you get to know them as people. These aren’t gritty, ultra badass war heroes chosen for a task because they are the best of an elite squad. These are average yet brave young men who are, like many others on the battlefield, just following orders. 1917 is as much a character study as it is a pulse-pounding war movie.
Subtle Differences
The fact that these young men are regular guys fits well into the overall tone of the film. Where most war movies are focused on how the Good Guys beat the Bad Guys and tend to glorify war, this one seems more realistic. There is no military worship on display here. I have heard several people say that this film is one of the most realistic depictions of war ever put to film. It isn’t just the bloated and rotting bodies laying on the field or half buried in piles of rubble that drive that home. One thing that I found interesting was that most of the cast is made up of young men. The officers are some of the only people who seem to be out of their twenties. This is an army made up of young men who just want to do their duty and go home.
The Cinematography
The story is great, the performances are stellar, but the cinematography is what really brings this film together. 1917 is edited to look like it is one continuous shot. In fact, most of the scenes were done in one shot. In a promotional interview, the cast and crew talk about how this film was shot more like a stage play than a regular movie. Much time, planning, and effort went into giving this film the look that it has. Let me tell you, it paid off.
Not only does it look like one long shot, it looks like you’re in the thick of the action. Whether they are walking across a field chatting about cherry orchards or in a cramped abandoned bunker, you feel every emotion. You experience it all in real time. This closeness to the action and attention to detail in the shooting makes 1917 one of the most anxiety-inducing films I’ve ever seen. If you’re a fan of cinema in general, you should experience this film. Even if you don’t like war films, you’ll be able to appreciate the craft. .
Final Thoughts
All in all, would I recommend 1917? Absolutely! This is probably one of the best films that I’ve seen in the last five years. It takes you through the emotional wringer: from laughter to tension to hearbreak and back again. I saw this film in a packed theater and the entire audience was dead silent. Even after the credits began to roll, no one said a word. We had all just had our souls raked across coals; no one wanted to break the silence that came with that feeling. Do yourself a favor and see this film as soon as possible.