1917 REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Following the impressive success of his 1999 feature film, American Beauty, which won a total of five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, Sam Mendes has continued to impress critics and audiences with his films, including Revolutionary Road, Jarhead, Away We Go and Road To Perdition. He has also directed two films in the James Bond franchise, Skyfall and Spectre. However, his latest feature, 1917, may be his most impressive work yet.

At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Lance Corporal Will Schofield (George MacKay) and Lance Corporal Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers, Blake's own brother among them.

While there have been a lot of war films, most of the ones I've seen, including Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan and Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, have been about the Second World War, which took place from 1939 to 1945. 1917 is one of the best films about the First World War and, while it’s difficult to watch at times, it’s definitely a film that needs to be experienced on the big screen as, when watched at home, the impact won’t be as big. With 1917, Mendes succeeds in creating a film that captures the horrors of the First World War. 

Those who have seen a lot of war-based films won't be surprised by what happens in 1917, however, this won't prevent them from appreciating what Mendes has created. Although two soldiers are sent to carry out the mission, given to them by General Erinmore (Colin Firth), due to how dangerous it is, it's not surprising when one of them, Blake dies, however, this scene is no less heartbreaking. The rest of 1917 focuses on the lone soldier, Schofield, who is left to complete the mission. The intensity increases as viewers are left unsure as to whether he will succeed. The sequence that sees Schofield race across the battlefield past a group of charging soldiers is where 1917 is at its most intense as he is nearly killed by nearby bombs going off. 

1917 has received ten nominations at this years Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Mendes and Best Cinematography for Deakins. If 1917 should win any awards, I think it should be for Deakins’ extraordinary cinematography, which is also another reason why it needs to be watched at the cinema. 1917 was shot and edited to appear as a single long take that takes place in real time with almost no breaks. This is the most impressive aspect of the film. This technique is at its best towards the end when Schofield is racing across the battlefield as the charging British infantry are bombarded by German artillery. Because of this single-take method, all actors had to rehearse every movement months in advanced. While the one-shot method has been used in films before, including in the 2014 film, Birdman, which won the Best Picture Oscar, it can be a challenging technique, however, it's used effectively in 1917. Because the camera follows the soldiers, it makes viewers feel like they're on the dangerous mission with them.

Apart from the cinematography, both MacKay and Chapman impress with their performances as the two brave soldiers chosen to take on this dangerous mission. Chapman portrays Tom Blake who is the leader and his main motivation for completing it is his brother, Joseph (Richard Madden). While Schofield would rather think things through and make a plan, Blake doesn't want to waste time. After Blake's death, Schofield becomes increasingly determined to finish the mission. Solid supporting roles come from Firth, Mark Strong as Captain Smith and Benedict Cumberbatch as Colonel Mackenzie. However, although these notable actors only appear in one scene, they understand the seriousness of the film and this is shown in their performances.

As well as Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography, the score, composed by Thomas Newman, is also nominated at this year's Academy Awards. Newman has previously collaborated with Mendes and composed the score for his previous films, including Skyfall, Road To Perdition and American Beauty. He has also composed the score for films such as The Shawshank Redemption, Saving Mr. Banks and Bridge of Spies. Despite being nominated fourteen times, Newman is yet to win, however, I think that his score for 1917 is a worthy winner. When the tension in the film increases, the music changes so to fit the mood of the scene. 

While the story for 1917 is a fictional tale about two young British soldiers carrying out a dangerous mission, the script is written by Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns and inspired by stories told by the director's grandfather, a native of Trinidad who was a messenger for the British on the Western Front. 1917 is clearly a personal film that means a lot to Mendes and it's a film that he can be proud of. 

Featuring outstanding camerawork and cinematography from Roger Deakins, brilliant directing from Sam Mendes and impressive performances from its two leads, 1917 is one of the best films about the First World War.

8/10