1917
1917 is the kind of movie that comes along and blows everything else you’ve ever seen before out of the water. It’s spectacular and breathtaking. The film centers around two young men in the British army in World War 1 who are tasked with delivering a note to the front lines calling off an attack on the Germans that is actually a trap. If they succeed thousands of men will be save but if they do not make it in time, those same men will be killed. The entire film, directed by Sam Mendes, is shot and edited to appear as one long take. While it is not actually one continuous shot, the effect is still magnificent. It essentially becomes a hero’s journey in real time.
What is done so well in 1917 is that while the movie has a plot and scene structure there is actually little background information given about the main characters. Somehow, despite this, you find yourself caring for these two boys without ever really knowing their full stories. It sounds like it would leave the movie wanting, but it actually is a pretty moving choice. You come to feel the true cost of war, especially the trench warfare of WWI. These young men are just two out of millions of soldiers but Mendes crafts the film so brilliantly that you come to care for them while also realizing that they will be barely a blip in history.
This whole film is just spectacular and I absolutely loved it. The cinematography is breathtaking. The actors are fantastic. It’s stressful and tragic and hopeful. Mendes has truly created a masterpiece that will blow you away.