1917 Movie Review
Me before seeing 1917: Oh please, this is another movie that’s filmed in “one shot.” It’s been done before and it seems like a gimmick. I’m not impressed. Me after seeing 1917: Oh my gosh it was not a gimmick. I am so impressed.
How many movies about WWI have you seen? Probably a lot, unless you hate war movies in which case I don’t know why you’re reading this review. It’s really hard to have a fresh take on war movies simply because of the sheer volume of movies that have been made about war. Director Sam Mendes accepted this challenge and exceeded expectations.
The story of 1917 is simple. Lance Corporal Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Lance Corporal Schofield (George MacKay) have to deliver a message to the front that an attack has been cancelled. The planned attack is a trap and will result in the death of thousands of men. The two men must navigate miles of battlefield to deliver the message in time. It seems like a daunting task because it is. We watch as Blake and Schofield are met with obstacle after obstacle while trying to avoid enemy lines. It’s a race against the clock as day turns to night and the launch of the attack grows nearer.
The narrative is loosely constructed but it works because what’s really on display here is the technical mastery. Roger Deakins has outdone himself with the cinematography. If you pay close attention, you can see the very few cuts that are made in this film. But for the most part you’ll be lost in the wizardry of Deakins, who strings together shots that are visually interesting as well as technically superb.
There were several scenes that left me mouth agape, wondering how on earth they filmed it. Luckily, there have been bonus featurettes released that show the behind the scenes work and it is incredible to watch. If I could, I would watch the movie side by side with the behind the scenes footage, just to marvel at how they achieved some of the movie magic.
While the narrative of this film is nothing special, the cinematography is truly extraordinary and even casual film-goers will appreciate it. Mendes should be applauded for being able to tell a WWI story in a unique and interesting way. But Deakins is the real star of 1917.
Film or Movie: Film
You’ll like this film if:
1. You like WWI stories
2. You are a cinematography guru
3. You want to see one of the most interesting technical movies of 2019
