1917 is gripping, chilling, daring, heart-pounding, nonstop... the Movie of the Year

A shot from 1917, directed by Sam Mendes. Photo Credit: Slash Films (1917)

In what can only be described as a cinematic masterpiece, 1917 thrusts the viewer into the battlegrounds of war, in its truest sense. Lonely, ugly, dirty, tense, bloody, immoral, and fatal... writer/director Sam Mendes (Spectre, Skyfall, Jarhead) leaves nothing out in this grisly and emotional tale of valor.

Mendes' film has a relatively simple backdrop for an immensely onerous task; two British soldiers must race against time to deliver a message that will save 1,600 men from walking into a German trap. The kicker is, they must cross enemy trenches and siege lines to do so, and quickly! I don't believe the exact amount of time is ever given, although it is definitely under 24 hours, and one can assume it might even be a few hours less than that.

A behind the scenes shot of Chapman (left) and MacKay (right) on the set of 1917. Photo Credit: Vanity Fair

The two soldiers, Lance Corporal Blake and Schofield, are the focus of this two-hour thriller, and are played exceptionally well by actors Dean-Charles Chapman (Game of Thrones, Before I Go to Sleep) and George MacKay (11.22.63, Captain Fantastic). Aside from some pretty famous cameos throughout, these are the only names you need to know in 1917, as these two dominant the screen. Why might two low-ranking soldiers be left with such a crucial duty? You might be wondering. Well the rational is given almost as swiftly as the mission (both within the first 10-15 minutes of the movie). You see, Blake's brother is amongst the men walking into certain death, so General Erinmore (Colin Firth) feels his extra motivation will be key in the success of a seemingly impossible order. He also feels that the only way to deliver this message at the proper speed required to stop the impending attack is by foot, and the best way to cross German territory on foot is by attracting very little attention (two men with sufficient navigational ability). None of this explains Schofield's (MacKay) involvement, true, but that's just because he's the lucky stiff Blake chooses to accompany him (a close mate resting nearby when the journey begins). Blake and Schofield are certainly friends, but context clues tell you their friendship has been relatively brief, and one that was formed in combat (like many soldiers). More on their characters in the spoiler section below.

The "one-shot" style film-making performed by Mendes and Deakins is superb. Photo Credit: Vanity Fair

From the moment the two venture beyond the British front-lines (out from the trenches and into the unknown), danger and uncertainty await them at every turn. This film glues you to your seat, partly due to the rapid pacing and unpredictability of the plot, but also because of the way it's shot. Mendes teams with legendary cinematographer, Roger Deakins, to give you a sort of first-person perspective as the camera follows Chapman and MacKay every step of the way. Literally, a la Birdman, this film is pretty much one continuous shot from start to finish. As my brother put it, you almost feel as if you are playing one of the original Call of Duty video games based in the World War I time period, only if either of our courageous protagonists are killed, they don't simply respawn moments later. I definitely felt that vibe, a sort of edgy paranoia that kept me engaged from the first second to the last, but even more engaging was the realness and the accuracy of the product. Every detail in 1917 is precise and deliberate. From the depiction of trench warfare itself; with starving soldiers sneaking naps along the inner walls of the front-lines as possible death awaits them if they only peak their heads a couple feet higher. Or the squishing, mud-caked, ruin of land on which our characters walk, that was once a pristine French countryside. The rotting corpses of humans and animals alike (both deserving and innocent), that litter their paths in a rat-infested a wasteland of decay and death. The burnt farmhouses, and burn-ING cities. The lives that are destroyed by this madness, and the casual numbness that German and British soldiers both have towards the chaos they are responsible for. Mendes and Deakins show it all, as if we are moving step for step with Chapman and MacKay, witnessing these horrors as they do. The film-making is phenomenal, top to bottom, with no stone unturned and no casualty of war unacknowledged.

For those who haven't seen the film, I rate it as a must-see war classic, right up at the top of the list with films like Dunkirk and Platoon, or Saving Private Ryan and The Longest Day. I thought about comparing it to some of these other all-timers, but there's really no need to, because these are all top films in their own right. Personally, this was possibly my favorite war movie ever, I would have to watch Dunkirk again to decide. In terms of a 2019 rank, I give it the slight edge over Joker for movie of the year (but keep in mind I did not get a chance to see one or two of the other contenders yet... most notably, Parasite and The Lighthouse). For what it intended to do, 1917 was close to perfection, at a 9.8 out of 10 NightCap rating (Joker got a 9.7).

SPOILERS BELOW.

STOP READING HERE IF YOU HAVE YET TO SEE 1917.

There are a few things I would like to discuss about the film for those who have seen it. Let's start with the main characters, who are subtle reflections of the life of a soldier. First you have Blake, Chapman's role, a younger man who has noticeably less experience in the war. His older brother serves as a Lieutenant, so perhaps he joined after him in an attempt to help serve his country by following his role model. We see the love he has for his brother immediately, as he doesn't hesitate upon accepting the mission and risking his life, after being informed his kin is in danger of losing his. In terms of his temperament, Blake's hope and personality are still intact. Not only that, he seems to brim with positivity and morality. As we see, and as Schofield describes later on, he loves to tell funny stories, and he is clearly brave and bold in the face of peril. Blake blushes at the idea of getting a medal of his own (after saving Schofield's life early on in a spectacular scene beneath the German bunkers), while MacKay's character scoffs at his own medal of honor (describing it as a useless piece of tin) that he long-since traded for a bottle of wine. Their mindsets are opposite, likely because of what they have experienced to this point. Blake has served at the trench, but we aren't necessarily sure that he has served in combat before this position. He recounts picking cherry trees with his brother in his garden, and looks forward to getting leave (most likely his first) to return home for Christmas. Schofield grimaces at the thought of getting leave, because he has had it before, and he knows that if he goes home he will just have to say goodbye to his family all over again when his leave is up. MacKay's character is also wary of the task that is assigned to them, the fear written plainly all over his face, most likely because he knows how difficult it will be. We know he is older than Blake (not that it is hard to tell), because he says, "age before beauty," as they first climb out of the British trenches.

George MacKay may have been relatively unknown before, but a star has been born in this film. Photo Credit: WBUR (1917)

What I'm getting at is that Blake represents the soldier first shipped off to war, one that dreams of victory and heroics; compassionate and fearless, but also headstrong and careless. Schofield represents a man that has been crushed by this battle altogether; weathered and cautious, but also pessimistic, plagued by the horrid tragedy that he has seen (the soldier that usually returns home when the fighting ends). Their fates are unfortunately tied to their traits. Blake vows to save his brother, but fails in that duty because he attempts to save a dying German pilot (who stabs him before getting shot). He is naive in this moment, and everything happens before Schofield can act to do what he first intended, put the German out of his misery. Blake dies with some solace, knowing that he did save Schofield's life, who will now take on this burden alone. Schofield is more of a sad soul, who cannot escape death and despair. I believe he enjoys Blake's company because the lad has a good heart, and maybe even reminds him of himself before WWI began... but that doesn't last either, as MacKay's character seems cursed to survive this mayhem alone, only to arrive too late with his message. One key moment for his arc is when he happens upon a French woman raising a baby (although it is not her baby) in the cellars of a crumbling city. It is the unspoken moment where all seems lost, as too much time has elapsed and Germans chase with bullets from all angles (not to mention he has lost all sense of direction due to a knock on the head). The thought of resting in the cellar crosses Schofield's mind, but the baby's eyes seem to snap him out of it. This child, growing up in the bowels of a war, represents the hope that MacKay's character has given up on. In this moment he realizes that he must finish what he started, not just for the 1,600 lives that hang in the balance, and not just for Blake who died in his arms, but for this innocent babe and every un-corrupted life that remains.

After an exhilarating sprint through the city (and a few more narrow brushes with certain death), and a leap of faith down a rapid-like river that culminates in a short waterfall drop, MacKay finally breaks down on the banks of the water. Fortunately, a British singer catches his ear, and he stumbles his way to a British unit in the forest nearby. For a few moments, Schofield seems to forget his purpose, and perhaps his whole life (he could even believe he has died and this is some calming heavenly afterlife). Then he remembers, and realizes he has reached the men he aims to save, only some of them are already preparing to charge into battle. In a thrilling climax, Schofield must exit the trench and race courageously across the front-lines as soldiers storm towards death and bombs explode all around him. The scene was inspiring, but also haunting, as you know many men are dying because of an ill-advised order. In the end, Schofield reaches the vengeful Colonel MacKenzie (Benedict Cumberbatch), who actually does order to stop the assault (after a few intense moments that make you think MacKenzie might kill the messenger literally in order to continue with his attack). Schofield doesn't get more than a, "tend to your wounds and F off," from the Colonel, but does get a thankful good work from a Major. That's okay, Schofield has no disillusions about war, Blake might have expected a grand moment for his sacrifice but not him. The real moment is when Schofield finally finds Lieutenant Blake (Richard Madden), who has miraculously survived despite being part of the initial wave. The two share a sullen moment, and shake hands, which seems to finally release Schofield of his burden.

MacKay's heroic sprint through the chaos. Photo Credit: Vanyaland (1917)

Is this the happy ending we were all hoping for? Obviously it was positive in a way. Many soldiers lived to see another day, Blake's brother among them, and Schofield's strength of will is to thank. Even so, the film had a melancholy end, where MacKay sleepwalks over to a nearby tree and sits down. He views a photo of a loved one that reads, "Come back to us," on the backside, then drifts off into a much-deserved rest. It cannot be by accident that Schofield ends the film in the exact same way that he began it, positioned against a tree taking small respite in the midst of the suffering. Everything he accomplished, yet nothing changed, except the fact that he lost another friend. This is symbolic of war as a whole, and Mendes sheds light on this theme a couple of times throughout. The discussion about the medal of honor being worthless, or when the truck soldiers comment on the war-torn territory, joking that if this is what they have been fighting over for months, they should of let the Germans have it. I don't mean to discount our troops, and I don't think Mendes does either. It's just the opposite, this film represents the brave warriors caught in the middle. It is a tribute to them, and everything that they have sacrificed because of needless wars. I know both World Wars were necessary in a sense, to silence the original source of evil that emerged, but maybe the truth of the matter is that the fighting itself (between millions of patriotic followers) was and still is trivial. Its destruction is endless, and its wake is unfathomable.

1917 is bold, wise, visionary, ground-breaking, inspirational, and depressing all at once, and that is what makes it an immediate epic.