1917 (2020)
My first theatre-film of 2020 and it couldn't have started off stronger. Sam Mendes' 1917 very much does for the First World War what Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan did for the Second World War. It is a hauntingly beautiful depiction of a bygone era of warfare - one that sucked into its depths a tragically-young generation of men and threw them into what is likely one of the closest things we have seen to 'hell-on-earth'. What came from this are stories of bravery, the fight for survival and comradeship - all of which is depicted in a majesty here that only a cinematographer such as Roger Deakins could conjure onscreen. Though it is only the very beginning of the new year, I anticipate 1917 will remain one of the best films of the year, not to mention, being one of the best films about war ever made.
1917 follows the story of Lance Corporals Blake and Schofield (Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay, respectively) who are given the task of crossing a large span of treacherous land in order to give a British battalion orders to stand down from an attack that the Brits have learned is a trap and would likely lead to the deaths of thousands of soldiers if not stopped. To reach their troops, Blake and Schofield must traverse through enemy-laden areas and all in a very short period of time. Like Nolan's Dunkirk, there is an unrelenting tension to this war-time mission, one that is only heightened by Mendes' ingenious directorial design. That is, the entirety of 1917 is filmed as a one-shot take: at no point is there a visible cut in the action making for one nonstop scene from the film's beginning to end. Though this was obviously not filmed as 'one-take', its cinema-magic is more-or-less invisible while watching and one can only surmise where the actual cuts were made if looked for. This is surely a film where anyone with filmmaking interest will want to watch the behind-the-scenes to see how this film was actually made.
Chapman and MacKay, still both relative newcomers to Hollywood, carry the weight of this film effortlessly. They are the perfect vessels to illustrate the horror that WWI inflicted upon so many young men of the 19th century as well as the strength and bravery that was needed from them to survive and to help their brothers-in-arm survive. In addition to them, there are a plethora of cameos of some of the greatest British actors of today that include Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott and Richard Madden, all of whom are as strong as ever despite their small but important roles in the film.
As mentioned, this film would not be what it is without Mendes or Deakins. Additional mention must also be made of production designer Dennis Gassner, set decorator, Lee Sandales, and the entire art department of the film. The visual artistry of 1917 is unlike any I have seen before. The detail of the sets and props is almost unbelievable to take in, especially as so much of it is only glimpsed for a momentary second as the soldiers pass through trenches, war-torn battlefields and villages, and graveyards of military munitions, vehicles and bodies. Mendes, Deakins and the art department will all be very strong contenders for the upcoming Academy Awards. As well, these are all strong reasons to see 1917 in theatres.
1917 is, in all respects, a masterclass in cinematic filmmaking. It tells a remarkably personal story set within one of the largest-scale settings possible. Its astounding visuals of war juxtapose with horrific beauty the individual lives of the men who fought in it - many of whom did not make it back home to their families. This is a film that is worth viewing for so many reasons - perhaps none so much as to remember those who fought in our past so that future generations might never have to fight again.
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