1917
Starring: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Colin Firth, Andrew Scott
Directed By: Sam Mendes
Rated: R
Take a deep breath and get ready to travel back in time 103 years to 1917 as World War 1 rages on in one of the tensest cinematic experiences in recent memory. This war epic follows young British soldiers Corporal Will Schofield (George MacKay) and Corporal Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) as they embark on a brutal mission to deliver a letter into enemy territory. The message instructs British command not to proceed with a planned attack as they’d be walking straight into a German trap. If the men deliver the letter successfully, they could save the lives of 1600 soldiers, including Blake’s brother. Talk about a high-stakes mission and not a second can go to waste.
1917 has received a lot of hype in the last few weeks, especially after its Golden Globe win for Best Drama. (I’m sure several Oscar nominations are coming) It lives up to all of the hype and even exceeded my expectations. This is a film of the highest technical achievement. It’s quite evident throughout each tense moment of this film that you’re watching something exceptional that doesn’t come around often in theaters. Director Sam Mendes (who co-wrote the screenplay) has put together an exquisite war epic that works on both a technical and narrative level.
Mendes builds tension at the perfect moments then lets us breathe just when we need a second to process what’s happening. Even though the majority of the film is focused on the mission at hand, he and co-writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns give Blake and Schofield little bits of characterization just when we need to know more about them. Thankfully, he keeps the movie at two hours. It could have easily dragged to two and a half or even three hours like many war epics. If this movie was too much longer, the anxiety might have been too much to handle. Part of what helps to drive the tension and emotional content of Mendes’s film is Thomas Newman’s score. It is beautifully sweeping and tense, giving the audience a sense of the anxiety that the characters are facing. It kicks in at the crucial moments but is never overdone.
Cinematographer Roger Deakins commands this film with every shot. You may or may not have heard, but 1917 looks like it’s all filmed in one continuous long take. For a war movie, that is an unbelievable feat. There are some edits in the film, but they are blended in so well, they’re barely noticeable at all. Due to this stylistic choice, it feels like you are immersed in each second of Schofield and Blake’s journey from the claustrophobic trenches to a strange abandoned home in an open field. It is so eerily realistic. Every single one of Roger Deakins's shots is like moving artwork brought to the screen. There are so many fantastic shots in this film, but two that I can’t get out of my head. The first involves an abandoned city at night. The use of light and dark shadows is so hauntingly beautiful. The other is a sequence that will become the most iconic, where Will is running through a field. It is one of the best shots I’ve ever seen in a war movie. It’s perfectly framed, directed, and choreographed. I want this to win Best Cinematography at the Oscars this year because I don’t think any film has a better display of technical brilliance than 1917.
While I am very impressed with the technical elements of this movie, it would not be the same without the two central leads carrying the narrative.
George MacKay is fantastic as Corporal Schofield. While he is an engaging character, he also serves as the audience surrogate to show the viewer the atrocities of the war through his eyes. As Schofield traverses through the barren wasteland that the war has left behind, we see the horrors surrounding him. He is initially skeptical about traveling with Corporal Blake on the journey, even lamenting that he had to go at all. However, he keeps going because he knows it is his duty. He doesn’t care about medals or awards that he could receive from his country. For him, this is about getting the job done and hoping that the war ends. MacKay conveys so many emotions without saying anything. You see him go through pain, adrenaline, and shock through the course of the film on a deeply emotional journey.
Dean-Charles Chapman is great as Corporal Tom Blake, sent on the mission for personal reasons, because his brother would be sent out in the dangerous attack. When he hears the news that his brother is in danger, he is set on setting out on the mission without a second to waste. Blake is a focused and brave man who aims to protect those around him. Yet, there is more of lighthearted energy to his character than the serious Schofield. The friendship between the two is genuinely moving as they help each other through the most challenging of obstacles.
There’s no denying there have been a lot of war movies throughout the decade, but 1917 brings something new to the table. It throws the audience straight into the action showcasing the heart-pounding tensity and painful emotions of war. Sam Mendes’s film combines the best in direction, cinematography, and performance to create a cinematic masterwork that must be seen on the big screen.
My Rating: 10/10