A marvel of technical filmmaking prowess, 1917 is just as potent and powerful a film about brotherhood on the front lines, with director Sam Mendes delivering a whole new cinema war experience.
The First World War has slowly become a prominent fixture on cinema screens. While not rivalling the large scale of World War II releases, this burgeoning cinema sub-genre has seen many filmmaker take on stories set during the “Great War”, in which classics such as Gallipoli and War Horse are found. 1917 quickly establishes itself as one of the best in the subgenre.
The eighth film by Oscar winning director Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road) found its inspiration from Mendes’ grandfather, a WWI veteran who used to tell war stories to Mendes and his equally engrossed siblings. Mendes, who successfully made the leap from stage to film with his 1999 debut American Beauty, has slowly transformed himself into an incredible technical filmmaker, rivalling the likes of Christopher Nolan and Peter Jackson in his ability to utilise new filmmaking technologies to tell his stories.
A one-shot film of engrossing power and impressive artistry, 1917 proves to be as unique a war-movie experience as they come, with its “single take” technique taking viewers on a war-is-hell journey through the trenches, frontlines, and enemy territories in which the unexpected can, and does, happen. Our guide in this journey is Lance Corporal Schofield (George MacKay), who is ordered by his superior, General Erinmore (Colin Firth), to venture across no-mans land and deliver a message to Colonel Mackenzie (Benedict Cumberbatch) that his squad are to call off their planned offensive against the Germans or face certain doom.
From opening to closing frame, we follow Schofield as he battles against all matter of element natural and manmade, among them booby trapped rat infested enemy trenches, sniper fire, the unforgiving terrain of mud and blood, and more. One particular sequence where Schofield runs through a darkened, battered shell of a city, illuminated only by the bright blast of bombs and gunfire, is as thrillingly paced and crafted a war action scene committed to cinema yet. 1917 is a film filled with stakes. Schofield’s journey becomes our journey. Mendes’ goal isn’t just to witness the hell and glory of war, but to experience it from all angles. There is no escape.
George MacKay is excellent. With Mendes’ camera attached to MacKay’s every move, we witness the evolution of a soldier changed by a unique war experience beyond the frontlines, in which he carries an immense weight of responsibility and duty on his back. For Schofield to stay alive is to keep others alive, and MacKay portrays that angst and desperation, along with impressive physical feats, into a performance of emotional and physical strength. Select cameos from the likes of Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, and others, compliments the film with sparse yet gravitas filled turns.
The real stars of 1917 are Mendes and the excellent crew he has assembled to bring his vision to life, namely legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins (The Assassination of Jesse James), editor Lee Smith (Dunkirk), composer Thomas Newman (The Shawshank Redemption), and the great visual and sound effects teams. Together they have created a remarkable piece of cinema, with 1917 both a tribute to, and reminder of, those brave men, young and old, who fought on the frontlines in a vicious war.
