1917

In Northern France during the middle of the First World War, two British Lance Corporals, Schofield and Blake, are tasked to inform the 2nd Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment under Colonel Mckenzie that a planned attack on German forces has been called off, due to the Germans planning an ambush on all 1600 men in the battalion, including Blake's brother. The young soldiers must trudge through No Man's Land, burning cities, and underground barracks as the stakes grow higher and survival becomes and more and more unlikely.

On a writing standpoint, 1917 delivers many of the tropes we expect from a film about the horrors of war: soldiers taking some time to speak with scared and confused civilians, photographs of wives waiting for their return being pulled out of pockets, and even funny stories exchanged to brighten things up. However, the realistic nature of how these "cliches" are presented is what makes them so effective.

Like 2014's Birdman, 1917 is edited to look like it's one long shot, though the cuts from one take to another are impossible to pinpoint in this film, save for one cut to black, dividing the piece into two parts, both presented in real-time. In just two hours, we feel the haunting serenity of an abandoned farmhouse, the darkness and claustrophobia of the booby-trapped trenches on the German front, and the hellish fires of an attacked city, all without jumping forward in the story.

Even with all the sweeping camera movement taking place, director Sam Mendes (who based this story on those his grandfather, a soldier in World War I told him) and legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins manage to create some of the most arresting images seen in a film all year. The performances from newcomers George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman as the two leads also do wonders in selling both their innocence and desperation to be reunited with their families. Thomas Newman's intense and chilling score should also be mentioned, showing that he is one of the best film composers currently working.

If 1917 isn't the greatest war film ever made, it's at least the best one about World War I since All Quiet on the Western Front, all the way back from 1930. Even if the story takes few unexpected turns, its realistic and immersive presentation is what ensures it will stay with you long after the credits roll. With the recent fear of America going to another world war, it's appropriate that this harrowing drama comes out to remind us that that should be avoided at all costs.

Note: There will be longer gaps between reviews after this one, due to other personal pursuits and lack of interest in upcoming movies.