1917 Is A Timely, Flawless War Epic

ForReel Score: 12/12 | 5 Stars

Unless you’ve lived under a rock for past couple weeks you’ve probably heard all the screeching about a possible WWIII on social media. Due to this, 1917 may be one of the most timely films in recent history. A dark reminder of what World Wars actually look like. 1917 is an immersive war epic surrounding the daring mission to cross enemy territory to deliver a message to allied forces calling off an attack into a German trap.

George Mackay (LCpl Schofield) and Dean Charles Chapman (LCpl Blake) immerse themselves completely in their roles. Every emotion - happiness, anger, frustration, fear and even their bickering are undoubtedly believable. While bigger names like Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch do make their appearances they’re short lived and allow us to get back to our main characters. 1917 appears to be one continuous shot (it obviously was not) however, this doesn’t allow the audience a chance to blink as our protagonists go from one possible mission failure to the next. This creates an incredible edge of your seat experience. There has been some discontent among reviewers that LCpl Schofield and LCpl Blakes’ backstory needed further elaboration. I disagree with that take and believe that such a move would’ve unnecessarily bogged down the film.

With spectacular visuals, stunning camera work, and a story that is carried by its two young stars 1917 completes its mission to bring audiences a flawless war epic.

Acting/Casting - 2
Story/Message - 2
Entertainment Value - 2
Reviewer's Preference - 2
Visual Effects/Editing - 2
Musical Score/Soundtrack - 2