In the last decade, we’ve had the privilege of witnessing two big cinematic events in the art form of a war film. These two are Dunkirk and 1917, respectively. One of the many ways I can describe these two films is that both redefined the war film storytelling as we know it. Both films provide the opportunity to appreciate these horrifying wars from different perspectives and points of view.
The main reason why I keep comparing both films is that, as a reviewer. I feel the need to prepare you to see this film in the best way I can. These two films don't follow their storylines in a traditional way as we are used to. In Dunkirk, director Christopher Nolan plays with the time, in a way that you are following three stories happening at the same time and, in the end, converge in an epic and truly emotional way. In 1917, we experience the horrors of WWI, but director Sam Mendes immerses the audience in places that we had imagined but rarely had seen on the big screen.
1917 follows the story of two soldiers, Blake and Schofield (Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay, respectively) who are sent on a mission to deliver a message to warn of a German ambush before soldiers are sent into the trap. The story is simple, delivering a message while going through enemy lines and territory.
The level of technical achievement that Mendes and his "dream team" reach in 1917 is like no other and without any precedent. It's an immersive experience like no other film this year. And to say that is one of the biggest accolades and compliments I have ever given a movie. Impeccably shot (Master Roger Deakins is back) and edited in a way that you believed this movie is a one-take shot film, which is ridiculous and almost impossible to understand. When the sound mix, the camerawork, and score (beautifully composed by Thomas Newman) blend together, it creates a cinematic experience designed to give you all the chills and goosebumps; evidenced by that soon-to-be-famous “The Night Window” sequence. This film includes one of the most exciting and powerful scenes in any movie this or any year (in my opinion).
The way that Mendes allows you, as a viewer, to experience the horrific events of WWI is the kind of thing that can provoke suspense, anxiety, and possibly nightmares like no horror film have done this year. The levels of craftsmanship that 1917 reaches is one for the ages. This film has shots that will stay with you and will permanently live in your memory as a viewer, like the early scenes from the acclaimed Saving Private Ryan. Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, Richard Madden, Andrew Scott, and Colin Firth support the cast. 1917 is the movie event you should see in the biggest and loudest screen possible. It will stand the test of time as one of the best war films ever made.
Score: 4.5/5 stars
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