Review
JAMIE EAST AT THE MOVIES
Sam Mendes’ eighth outing in the directors chair is about as ambitious, dazzling and exciting a war film as you’re going to get - and it may just net him his second Oscar.
Shot on a single camera, Mendes attempts the almost-impossible; 117 minutes of a sprawling soldier’s quest all done using one solitary tracking shot (meaning there is not a single visible cut).
George Mackay (Captain Fantastic) and Dean-Charles Chapman are Schofield and Blake, two privates sent on an urgent mission across no-mans land to deliver warning of a German ambush to the Hindenburg Line.
Against seemingly impossible odds, the pair must traverse through some of the worst scenes mankind has to offer, in order to save the lives of 1600 men.
It features a conveyor belt of cameos from Britain’s finest - Mark Strong, Hot Priest, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch and Richard Madden - which are introduced in a slightly heavy handed way.
This drew me out of the story somewhat - and occasionally the performances felt a tad clunky - but I’m still processing the whole event and am desperate to see it again before giving a fully considered review.
MOST READ IN FILM
Regardless, this is an incredible technical triumph.
t’s rare these tired old eyes are left as wide as they were during this film - and I’m still furrowing my brow as to how it was shot some hours after.
1917 is a spectacle Spielberg and Nolan will eyeball with envy.
1917 - 117mins
★★★★☆
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