1917 [Blu-ray]

As I watched this film throughout this morning, there was a lot to praise to be shared.One of the first things to praise was the incredible cinematography to have look as if it was shot in one long take, where I drew comparisons to the 2018 PS4 game God of War. It is as if we were right there with Lance Corporal Schofield throughout the entirety of this emotional journey. The acting is on point as well throughout, capturing every emotional beat perfectly, especially from George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman as Schofield and Blake respectively. Seeing them bond on screen was very powerful to say the least.The set design certainly added to the immersion of the story, for which i have to give massive props to the set decorator as well as the costume designers and makeup department for further adding to the immersion of the story.The writing, which was also carried out by the director, Sam Mendes, was very well crafted too. Not just the dialogue that added to the drama, but the overall screenplay that took us through every key moment of this journey was executed incredibly well.For those that know me well enough know how much i enjoy film soundtracks and this is another one to add to that list. Composed beautifully by Thomas Newman, the score added to the emotional beats throughout. Some key moments in the score had me on the edge of my seat when the music started to swell, with me anticipating what might happen next, helping me stay invested in the film.Overall, this is another fantastic war film. Alongside Saving Private Ryan and Dunkirk, 1917 is up there as one of my favourite war films and without a doubt, one of my favourite films of the year (I am going by UK release date since that is where I am from).

It starts off a bit simplistic in a way and yet you soon realise it is getting you to feel for the characters and learn about them without any grand exposition or pointless/obvious back and forth. Soon the calibre of the two time pressed messengers becomes plain as the acting is subtle yet well delivered and relatable.The horrors the war are expertly portrayed, but nothing is needlessly done. No over the top violence or gore. The harrowing nature of what went on and the sights that would make a stomach flip at every turn. It doesn't beat you over the head with it, just lays it out plainly.The tension throughout the film leaves you almost apprehensive about what comes next but also desperate to know. The camera work is incredible, the "set" designed precisely, the acting is phenomenal. The big names in this play nought more than bit parts and as such there's no overlay of their past work to detract from it. No thoughts of "oh isn't Dr. Strange being heroic" or "Mr. Darcy looks good in uniform".In a way though the film finishes on a rather hollow note. Not a mistake by any means, but a subtle yet unmissable nod to the fact the film is called "1917", the war has one more year.

A beautiful movie that flows slowly like a muddy river at dusk, becoming gloomier, grittier and more ominous with the night coming in. The storyline itself is not essential -it's the story of a dangerous mission of two casual British brothers in arms through presumably abandoned enemy zones, towards the front of the French trench-line during WWI. The raw horror of the Great War, with its load of dirt, rot and stench, unrolls before their eyes and fades upon their young hearts like a grey toxic pall. In the claustrophobic labyrinths that the two Lance-Corporals must go through to accomplish their important mission, the enemy is an invisible but constantly menacing presence. The more they proceed, the thinner it gets the gap between life and death. Director Sam Mendes's eye focuses on the emotional journey forced on the two young corporals by the bleakness of the war; their fortitude and their resolution is strengthened by the toughness of the experience they undergo. In the end, a question remains open: was it all worth it? Direction, photography and sound are sublime, especially the night scenes. Some dramatic aspects of the story, however, are not given enough time and attention to sufficiently develop and, in my opinion, they remain muffled and overall weak with respect to others. In the movie I found beautiful conceptual and visual references to Coppola's Apocalypse Now (the inner journey) and Tarkovsky's Stalker (the invisible menace).