1917 ends with a message for director Sam Mendes’ grandfather whose story inspired the events of the WW1 epic. What is interesting is that this is the closest the film comes to being sentimental at any stage. 1917 does not feature any flag-waving, inspirational speeches or real life photos over the end credits. Its focus on being a thriller first and foremost that happens to use history as a backdrop is similar in many ways to Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk or the fantastic Troubles thriller ’71.

Mendes’ epic does not contain as a blunt a message as that found in ’71 but it is still pretty clear what he is trying to get across. War is hell. It is most telling that the closest we actually get to an old-fashioned battle is from the point of view of a soldier Schofield (George MacKay) who is actively trying to stop it. This point also couldn’t be more clear when MacKay’s hapless soldier explains to fellow comrade Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) that medals of honour are useless pieces of ‘tin’.

The film follows the two soldiers as they travel across the Western Front to deliver a message that will stop the unnecessary slaughter of British soldiers at the hands of the Germans. Due to the episodic nature of the plot, a range of famous British actors take roles that only last a few minutes on screen. While Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrew Scott and Mark Strong are all strong, it is Richard Madden’s heartbreaking appearance in the final minutes that truly leaves an impression. What also stops this from being a run of the mill war film is how Mendes has decided to document his story.

If you thought Mendes’ four minute long take at the start of Spectre was impressive, here he creates the illusion that the whole film has been made in one single, uninterrupted shot. Of course, this is isn’t the case as tricks are generally employed to make it look like what you are watching has not been edited. This is all pulled off remarkably well by director of photography Roger Deakins who is the master at what he does. There are times when the images on screen are jaw-droppingly beautiful yet horrifying and it is equally matched in Thomas Newman’s fantastic score.

The thing that will stay with you after watching 1917 is the sheer craft on display as one of Britain’s best directors sinks his teeth into history’s most pointless of conflicts. The only real gripe that can be had is that very few other characters apart from the central duo make an impact but perhaps that is the point. The film is relentlessly from the point of view of a young man who doesn’t want to become a hero but just wants to get home. In avoiding a sentimental portrayal of war or a clean-cut happy ending, Mendes stays true to the ultimate pointlessness of conflict.

Image Credit: File:1917poster.jpg, WhySoSerious?, Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), some rights reserved.

Disclaimer Notice: Any thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely my own. Any images (copyrighted or otherwise) have been used according to Creative Commons and if needed, have been referenced to the best of my knowledge.

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