'1917' Is a Technical Marvel, and an Outstanding War Epic

1917 is a World War I drama film that is partly based on an account told to Sam Mendes, the director and co-writer of this film, by his late grandfather, novelist and WW I veteran Alfred Mendes.  It tells the story of two young British soldiers, Lance Corporals William Schofield (George MacKay) and Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), who are suddenly given a very dangerous mission.

Recent aerial reconnaissance reveals that a particular British regiment that’s scheduled to make a push is walking into an enemy trap.  Failure to call it off would jeopardize the lives of 1,600 troops.  Unfortunately, that regiment can’t be immediately informed of this since the field telephone lines have been cut.  Thus, Schofield and Blake are tasked to personally hand the message to that regiment.  However, in order to get to their location, they must walk across No Man’s Land and German-controlled territory.

1917 has made buzz for its technical achievements.  It’s highly praiseworthy for its production design, score, effects, cinematography, and editing.  Most especially for the latter two.

With the aid of the genius of legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, Mendes made it look like that this film is filmed in just one shot – or two, as there’s a part where the screen fades to black because the main character lost his consciousness.  It’s not the first film to perform this technique.  Birdman is one I can mention on top of my head, while Hardcore Henry also did it in stretches (and in a first-person perspective, for that matter).  But it can be argued that the illusion of a single, continuous take is more fitting – on top of being better executed – in 1917.

The one-shot filmmaking is not just a gimmick.  It really adds artistic value, and makes the film feel more personal and stirring.  It infuses a sort of poetic flair and fluidity to it.  And it’s the crux of why the film is so visceral, spectacular, tense, and immersive.  It’s because, as you follow the narrative, it feels like you are part of it – as if you are a third soldier alongside Schofield and Blake.   As a result, the film is extremely gripping from start to finish.

Moreover, the movie also has notable amount of cameos.  Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, and Benedict Cumberbatch showed up at some points in this film.  It’s rather obvious by how they play out that their brief appearances are designed to give a fan-service-esque effect of sorts to the audience.  The film doesn’t really need to do that, but it’s a touch that’s neither annoying nor beneficial.

In the end, I’m not yet sure which between 1917 and Dunkirk is my favorite war drama film of recent memory.  But, regardless, 1917 is a splendid, thrilling, breath-taking epic.