1917 Review
A Riveting Wartime Drama.
1917, directed by Skyfall’s Sam Mendes is a beautiful, tense, and well-written war film starring Dean-Charles Chapman and George McCay. One of the first things I want to talk about is it’s long take. The long take in 1917 is its biggest strength and weakness. The pacing is a bit slow at times, especially during walks in the trench and on the plains. Because of this pacing, the first act lacks some momentum. Additionally, the nature of the long take means that secondary characters are introduced and quickly abandoned, in favor of focusing on the two main characters. Although the leads are both likable, the continuous plot gives a bit of personality to the characters but not enough to feel attached to the characters. You feel for the characters, but you don’t really fully feel as if you’re attached to them. I have another problem with the film but it ties directly into a major spoiler so I won’t reveal it here (maybe I’ll do a spoiler review).
On the high note, Sam Mendes’ work on Skyfall and its lesser successor, Spectre, shows in its riveting action scenes. The camera tracks as the main characters walk into the most dangerous parts of World War II Europe and as characters engage in shootouts with enemy soldiers. One scene is reminiscent of the courtroom scene in Skyfall. Another thing that makes 1917 so great is Roger Deakin’s work as a cinematographer. Do yourself a favor and watch this film if you want to see some truly beautiful and picturesque settings, because this film offers some beautiful visuals. One entire sequence is eerily similar to the climax of Skyfall, and it’s beautiful.
As, I’ve said before, the long take of this film is also its greatest strength. While it sometimes affects the plot negatively, the long take in this film is like nothing I’ve seen before. One continuous shot across Europe during daring action sequences is something a director has never attempted before. There’s only one ‘obvious’ camera cut that is shown. The rest of the camera work in this film is revolutionary and breathtaking. It’s worth watching this movie just for the continuous take alone. While watching, you also can’t help but feel a bit tense the entire time, as the characters walk into rooms. I was quite frequently on the edge of my seat, and the film does not allow you to relax at all. Finally, 1917 does a good job humanizing the characters on both sides. In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, there is a small scene in which the characters pick up a photo of a family member from the enemy side. There’s another moment but it delves into spoilers so I won’t say it. These two elements remind you these are people risking their lives in the fight, something action films rarely try to remind you of. Overall, 1917 does its job just right and is a competent and beautiful, if minorly flawed, film I recommend watching. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and am very excited for 2020 as a year overall for film.
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