Review: 1917

1917

2019

Director: Sam Mendes

Writer: Sam Mendes, Krysty Wilson-Cairns

Lead Actors: Dean Charles-Chapman, George Mckay, Daniel Mays 

1917 is an intense, heart-racing, tragic story following the journey of two soldiers in World War I that leaves viewers on the edge of their seats throughout the whole movie. 

The story follows two soldiers tasked with the mission to withhold troops from moving forward into a deadly trap set deep in enemy territory. Along the journey, the soldiers are faced with multiple setbacks, including loss, injury, and combat, as they race against the clock to deliver the message in time. 

Although I don’t know too many details of the war itself, other than basic knowledge, I loved this movie. And I’m not the type to watch historical war movies. As for the screenplay, it is exceptional, I was astounded by it honestly. This in turn has now been a movie that I come back to frequently and am never disappointed when re-watching. 

One of my favorite aspects of this movie is the fact that it was shot to look like one complete sequence. This then results in almost a perfectly seamless storyline with little to no lag time and creates the feeling of living out the journey with the soldiers. Watching this movie for the first time, it felt as if thousands of lives depended on me, not the main characters. 

The action scenes were constructed brilliantly, putting the viewer directly in the crosshairs of combat, while the quieter scenes highlighted the human, more emotional turmoil of war. 

I don’t have much to add about costume design, but it seemed to be historically accurate as far as I know. As for set design and destination, it was pretty outstanding. The depiction of the trenches and otherwise untouched countryside really showed the drastic effects of war. It helped put the perspective of battle and serenity in such a seemingly destructive plot.  

When discussing sound design, this movie takes the cake for me. It almost goes hand-in-hand with the diverse setting. The polarizing differences between still, calm quiet, and explosive, gunfire, and bombs are probably the most unnerving part of this whole movie for me. 

Overall, this movie will always be a favorite of mine and one that I return to no matter the day or feeling. If you need something solemn yet uplifting this would be a good option and I highly recommend it to anyone who has not yet seen it.