1917: A Movie Review by Brodie Curtis

Rated R | Drama/Action | 1h 59m | 2019

Note: I am not a paid reviewer, and I went to see this movie for my personal enjoyment.

Young Lance Corporals Blake and Schofield are given a near-suicide mission to make their way miles behind enemy lines to deliver a General’s message to a forward unit, whose members include Blake’s brother. The message will halt an attack against an overwhelming enemy force which is sure to become a massacre. Tension builds as Blake and Schofield travel through harrowing battlefield sights, confront mortal danger, and is heightened by harrowing background music. The film-makers follow the men in tight, intimate shots that gave me a keen sense of experiencing the gruesome trenches. Generally speaking, patriotic, prideful and business-like attitudes of Blake and Schofield and their fellow Tommys seemed authentic. I’ve read the words of quite a few Great Soldiers about their battle experiences, and I believe 1917 got it right on this account. Successful War movies in recent decades, namely Vietnam War hits like Platoon, Apocalypse Now, and The Deerhunter, draw a sharp contrast with 1917 as they seem to explore collective doubts about the mission and conscientious objections of the troops. Where 1917 stumbles a bit is in a number of plot contrivances that kept the mission alive. Yes, the film is a creative work, but several happy chance moments are at odds with the well-crafted authenticity of the trench and battlefield settings. Yet, all in all, I very much recommend 1917 to those interested in a Great War film with sets and scenes that put a viewer squarely into the horrors and dangers of the battlefield.