1917 (2019)

I recently had the privilege to watch the film ‘1917’, which I finally managed to make time for. I can happily say that this was time well spent.

From start to finish, Director Sam Mendes establishes every single aspect of a scene, answers every question, and anchors the viewer into the moment to make them feel as though they are witnessing the story through a second pair of eyes.

The story follows two British soldiers during World War I, named Lance Cpl. Schofield and Lance Cpl. Blake. The pair are called to receive seemingly impossible orders in the commanders quarters at the very beginning of the film, and are forced to venture headfirst into the dangers of war in order to carry them out. In this race against time, they must cross over into enemy territory to deliver a message that could potentially save 1,600 of their fellow comrades, this including including Blake's older brother.

Much like the struggle of the common soldier of the time, the movie is filmed as one continuously claustrophobic sequence of events, where there are no visible or striking jump cuts between scenes. The viewer is almost forced, in a sense, to feel everything the characters are feeling, see what they are seeing, and be present in their surroundings regardless of what is happening. Every action made is one felt by the viewer in striking detail, and it is flawlessly executed.

The two main characters are relatable, in the sense that they are simply people. They have no powers, no outstanding abilities to give them any advantage on the enemy— only their wits, their relationships and their will to survive. It makes for a gripping viewing experience, knowing how vulnerable they are on the battlefield with every passing second, and knowing full well that they are not invulnerable. Watching it myself, I felt as vulnerable as the characters.

The soundtrack and overall sound design for this film, written brilliantly by composer Thomas Newman, is well constructed and implicated. The music fits the tone and overall action of each scene, making the viewer feel the emotions that are conveyed in the pieces perfectly. The use of silence and other ambience during scenes is also very effective, as it brings the viewer down to the reality of the situation with a forceful shove. It’s hard not to be engaged when you are confronted with the rawness of the scene, hearing only the sounds the characters themselves can hear.

As far as war films go, ‘1917’ is a complete masterpiece. Full engaging, beautifully shot and well paced with a series of likeable and well written characters. I’m very excited to watch this film again sometime in the future.