IMDb plot summary: April 6th, 1917. As a regiment assembles to wage war deep in enemy territory, two soldiers are assigned to race against time and deliver a message that will stop 1,600 men from walking straight into a deadly trap.
Directed by Sam Mendes. Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays, and Colin Firth.
This film got a ton of acclaim for seeming to be in two long uninterrupted shots, and that definitely does a lot to heighten the tension and immerse you in the characters' world. Director Sam Mendes has directed a lot of theater, so he knows how to keep long scenes engaging to his audience. The extremely narrow focus on these characters does a lot to make the tone of the story resonate as well. There are a few final scenes where it seems like all is lost, and when those obstacles are overcome and the hero makes it through, it's hard not to cheer. But it's also more than just adrenaline-fueled action, as these incredibly high stakes seem to melt away entirely at the end with a meditation on the futility and emptiness of war in the first place, and I found that moment more moving than I do in many films which have a similar goal. The score is also particularly strong here, bringing home a lot of the necessary emotional beats. While I'm skeptical that this movie will stick long in my mind, it is certainly well-written and I'm glad I finally sat down and watched it.
How it entered my Flickchart:
1917 > One, Two, Three
1917 < Hoop Dreams
1917 > Now You See Me
1917 > Full Metal Jacket
1917 < Frankenweenie
1917 > Undercover Blues
1917 > Smiles of a Summer Night
1917 < Hell in the Pacific
1917 > High Strung
1917 > Bride & Prejudice
1917 > Point Break
1917 > Logan's Run
Final spot: #945 out of 3314, or 71%.
No comments:
Post a Comment