1917 (2019)

Gimmick movies can be tricky. Does the "gimmick" take away from the story or is it used as a tool to tell the story in a way that reveals something, that gets to the heart of the story in a way that couldn't have been done otherwise. I went into 1917, a movie shot to look like one long take in "real time," curious to see how I would respond to, well... another war movie with a similar story to others (the idea brings to mind Saving Private Ryan) that also uses a "gimmick" to get its story across. Fortunately I was impressed on all counts.

Sam Mendes has made some problematic films (American Beauty) and some beautiful ones (Road to Perdition) and the best Bond film of all time (Skyfall) so while I think he is very talented, I am not always drawn to what he does but when he touches on something I can embrace I often truly love it. I think here he has done something remarkable.

First of all I'll address the "one take" issue. Here I think the idea works wonders. By shooting the film in real time the film feels as if we are there with our protagonists, walking beside them, living their experiences. It brings the film a sense of intensity of being in the moment and drives forward the story. It also connects us to our two protagonists rooting the story in their first person experience. Mendes uses this tool very effectively to set us right into the story as we otherwise wouldn't. We live it with the leads.

But the film impressed me more than that. For me for a war movie to work it has to stare war in the face the show us the horror of it. 1917 doesn't try to glamorize war but makes these soldiers' experience feel honest. The characters confront death without confronting an evil it can be easily blamed away on. It explores the demons in us and the way he tackle them. I liked that the film didn't go where I thought it was going. Developments happen along the way which surprised me. I was riveted because I didn't know where the story would take me and it doesn't end as I would have expected. 1917 surprised me at turn after turn.

Mendes makes the most of his "one shot" gimmick visually as well. He has crafted a remarkably beautiful film. There are stunning sequences throughout as he finds ways to craft magnificent set pieces within his real time narrative. Mendes has told a fascinating story in a beautiful way and that is what we all hope for when we go to the movies.

I have to give a shout out to Andrew Scott, an actor who only appears for a minute or two but who is amazing every time I see him and here stole so much of the movie just in his brief moments.

1917
Starring: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch
Director: Sam Mendes
Writers: Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Sam Mendes