REVIEW #89 1917 (2019)

1917 is a film set in World War 1 and is directed by Sam Mendes. It follows two soldiers as they are given impossible orders, to cross enemy terrain and deliver a message that could save over 1,600 lives. Loosely based on the true story of the directors grandfather Alfred H. Mendes. 

CAST & THE ACTING 

The cast includes an array of huge names but the two main characters are actually lesser known. George MacKay plays Lance Corporal Schofield and Dean-Charles Chapman plays Lance Corporal Blake and these two soldiers are tasked with carrying the message across enemy territory. The chemistry between the actors is excellent, they work together really well and although the two characters are very different they compliment one and other. MacKay’s acting is great and I think the best thing about his performance was just how authentic his portrayal of Lance Corporal Schofield come across. That authenticity really drew you into the character and because the film was so tense you were always on the edge of your seat hoping that he would make it through. Chapman also delivered a strong performance and brought a different dynamic to the pairing, he was involved in an early twist in the film and his acting during that moment really stirred up the emotions for me as a viewer, making it all the more shocking. The other big names appearing in 1917 are; Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden, Andrew Scott, Mark Strong, Colin Firth and Daniel Mays. Although their roles were small and brief, they were nice cameos in the film. 

PLOT & THE STORYLINE 

The storyline really built up the tension in the film, a race against time with thousands of lives on the line if the two soldiers were to fail at delivering the message in time. The Germans had left a trap, pretending to retreat so that the British forces would attack, to then pounce and slaughter them all. Recon picked this up but because the Germans had cut all communications, a letter had to be delivered, which involved crossing enemy lines to deliver. This high stakes storyline kept me hooked from start to finish and there are no dull moments either really, there’s always something going on or some danger to face which just adds to the tension. In addition we get to see a great relationship between the two soldiers, both have very contrasting personalities but work really well together. The film actually highlights all the different personalities within the British forces, everyone was different but united by one purpose and that was an aspect I really enjoyed about 1917. It is also loosely based on a true story, the story of the director Sam Mendes’ uncle Alfred H. Mendes, personally I always find the plot becomes a lot more interesting when based on true events, it leaves me researching the film as much as I can after!

CINEMATOGRAPHY & SPECIAL EFFECTS 

I think this is what 1917 is famous for, the iconic ‘one take’ illusion with the camera is fantastic work by cinematographer Roger Deakins. This approach adds to the intensity of the film and makes it seem so much more realistic which gets the audience so invested in the film. The sets were amazing and were all built to scale to enable that one take approach. I don’t believe there was any CGI used and all the explosions and soldiers were all real, again this created that sense of realism that makes the film so special. One scene that looked amazing was that final scene where Lance Corporal Schofield is running along the front line to deliver the message and all the soldiers start running over the top. The musical score in that scene was perfect, combining with the explosions and the smoke to create a fantastic scene that not only looked great but sounded it too. It’s no surprise that 1917 won an academy award for best cinematography and sound mixing.

OVERALL (9/10)

I think the war film genre was becoming quite flat, with a lot of the new releases being very similar. However 1917 felt unique and I believe rejuvenated the genre for me. The cinematography makes the film and helps increase the intensity to an already high stakes storyline. The chemistry between the two lead actors George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman is great, with MacKay delivering a fantastic performance from start to finish. The plot is engaging and it kept me on the edge of my seat for its entirety because the lead characters are always facing a new threat on every step of their journey. It’s quite easy to forget just how good this film was, it had been 2 years since I watched it and before rewatching it I would have put it at about an 8.5 but now I think a 9 is more then justified and it actually could have been higher. It’s no surprise this film was competing for every award possible, even winning a few too! Definitely give 1917 a watch if you haven’t already. 

Thanks for reading.

Callan