Film Review: 1917 (2019)

If one is to judge by the content of films that Hollywood studios launch at the end of each year in an attempt to capture as many prestigious awards as possible, British history seems a rather popular topic. And that, of course, includes British military history. Inspiration in that sense for Oscar hunters should be provided by the career of David Lean, whose two films dealing with these themes – @drax/retro-film-review-the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai-1957" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Bridge on the River Kwai and @drax/retro-film-review-lawrence-of-arabia-1962" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lawrence of Arabia – not only became huge hits and triumphantly collected golden statuettes, but even attained the status of unquestioned classics of the Seventh Art. It is therefore understandable why Lean's present-day colleagues try to repeat the undertaking of the great master, who in one way or another endeavour to deal with the bloodiest armed conflicts of the 20th century from the perspective of those who participated in them on the British side. In 2017, something like that, with not exactly brilliant results, was attempted by Christopher Nolan with @drax/film-review-dunkirk-2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dunkirk. In 2019, however, a similar undertaking was sought to be realised by Sam Mendes with his war spectacle 1917.

The title refers to the year 1917, the same one that not so long ago on the other side of the globe was celebrated as the beginning of the creation of a more beautiful, better, more just world for which, in this era of neoliberal capitalism, younger generations increasingly yearn. In Britain, however, that same year is linked to one of the darkest and most tragic episodes of British history, when almost entire generations of the most talented and excellent Britons were mown down in the flower of youth. The reason for this is the First World War, which began as early as 1914, and which for those who participated in it from the start seemed like an eternity. And the continuation of the war seemed like an eternity, above all to those who fought on the Western Front, where neither the Western Allies, including the British Empire, nor the Central Powers led by Imperial Germany, were able to achieve a decisive victory. Instead, a war of position was waged where the front line did not change significantly for years, even after battles in which hundreds of thousands of men would perish on both sides.

6 April 1917, when the film's action takes place, is one such battle that led to something resembling a German withdrawal. All this does not overly worry the two protagonists, Corporals Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Will Schofield (Geroge Mackay), but everything changes when General Erinmore (Colin Firth) entrusts them with a delicate task. Reconnaissance has revealed that the German withdrawal is nothing but a cleverly set trap; the Germans deliberately abandoned their defensive lines to entice the British to attack their second, far better fortified and defended line, and the British attack will turn into a massacre. The order for that attack, which is to be carried out the following morning, has been received by the Devonshire Regiment, and with it the telephone lines have been cut. Blake and Schofield must instead personally deliver the order to call off the attack and thus stop the senseless bloodshed. To be able to do that, they are forced to leave the relative safety of their trenches and cross no man's land where numerous dangers await them, from booby traps to leftover German soldiers. Blake is personally motivated for the exceptionally dangerous and difficult mission, given that his brother serves in the Devonshire Regiment, unlike Schofield who would prefer to set off across no man's land only after nightfall.

Sam Mendes got the idea for the film from stories of his grandfather Alfred H. Mendes, who served as a messenger in the First World War and in his memoirs described experiences similar to those lived by the protagonists of 1917. For Mendes, however, far more crucial for the film was the decision to make the entire film in a single shot. Although it is a technique that is not so unusual, as five years earlier the "Oscar-winning" @drax/capsule-film-review-birdman-2014" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Birdman could boast that it was all done in one shot, the task for Mendes here was far more demanding. In the two hours of running time, it was necessary to reconstruct a battle, that is, to follow the protagonists through different locations where various, mostly unpleasant, but very often spectacular things happen to them. Although the film consists of one shot, several different and impressive scenes can be seen in it, including some with hundreds of extras. An enormous effort has undoubtedly been invested in the film, and this refers above all to the exceptional attention to detail, such as uniforms, weapons, equipment, but also the great skill with which a series of interrupted shots have been imperceptibly blended into one single shot through clever editing, CGI and other tricks. 1917 also functions as a "classic" war film, which brings viewers a fairly convincing mixture of action and drama. Mendes strives to implement his basic idea of a single shot as consistently as possible, so that the action is shown exclusively from the perspective of the main characters, and the camera is constantly moving, and always forward. Although some critics have derisively compared the film for this reason to a video game in which one advances from level to level, in 1917 such an approach makes perfect sense, and it is entirely understandable why this film will deeply impress all viewers who have any understanding of the Seventh Art and know how to appreciate the skill and effort necessary for such a project.

Although it is probably one of the most impressive films of the year and the most serious candidate for an "Oscar", 1917 is nevertheless not perfect. Technical polishedness and perfection of form were not accompanied by any particular effort regarding the screenplay. The characters are not well written and attempts to make them interesting too often stray into the waters of melodrama, which is perhaps best seen in the scene where one of the protagonists meets a young Frenchwoman with a small child. On the other hand, the cast does what it can with such thankless material, and young Mackay stands out particularly in the role of a soldier who in two hours is forced to experience what many will not in several lifetimes. The appearance of several big stars such as the popular Benedict Cumberbatch in cameo roles, on the other hand, too often reminds viewers that they are after all watching a Hollywood film instead of a carefully reconstructed fragment of world history. Yet, despite these shortcomings, 1917 still deserves recommendation and, even if it is far from the standards set by a Lean, a golden statuette would not be undeserved.

RATING: 8/10 (+++)

(Note: The text in the original Croatian version is available here.)

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