Olivia Dedham
A Passionate Film
George McKay charged across the battlefield fueled purely by adrenaline, desperation, and hope for a better tomorrow. Five hundred extras ran with him, and I was on the edge of my seat. The movie,1917, is nearing its one-year anniversary (January), and with 10 Oscar nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, this movie is hard to forget. As an avid movie viewer, I noticed that the best films are passion projects, born from a pure desire to tell a story. The same holds true for director/writer Sam Mendes who based this film on his grandfathers’ service during WWI.
Outstanding Acting
However what makes this movie so incredible is not simply the outstanding acting from George Mckay or his co-start Dean Charles-Chapman, but the adventurous cinematography. Roger Deakins, the cinematographer for the film, joined Mendes for their fourth collaboration. Filming was accomplished through long takes and choreographed moving camera shots to give the effect of two continuous takes. Throughout the film, the audience is given the sense of being right there in the trenches with the British army on the western front.
Exciting, Scary, Thrilling, & Downright English
As Mendes put it “the story of a messenger who has a message to carry”. This heart-wrenching tale follows two young British lance-corporals assigned to carry an important message or risk the lives of 1,600 men. I would tell you more about the plot, but honestly, no words can do this cinema masterpiece justice. Exciting, scary, thrilling, and just downright English, this movie will truly make you believe time is the enemy.
