1917

1917 (2019)

Picture it. It’s 11pm and I go to bed for an early night ready for the week ahead. As soon as my head hits the pillow my throat starts to scratch. Then it’s a cough. Then one of my eyes is watering for no reason and I realise I’m in for a night of hell as a common cold takes hold of my body. I last remember noticing the time at 3am. Then I’m up at 8 for work. Then after work I watch this film. Tired and irritable and really wishing I’d brought a bottle of whisky into the cinema.

I really couldn’t be bothered watching this. Even back in the summer when I saw the first teaser I thought; Sam Mendes, typical British actors, war. It’s gonna be an Oscar contender. Boring. And sure enough here we are. Another war film.

Of course once the film starts I become embarrassed that I’m acting like it’s the end of the world that I’ve got a sniffle and I’m a bit sleep deprived. Can you imagine what actual soldiers suffer through and just get on with it?

I’m not really into war films but I think that’s what I get from them: a nice slap of perspective.

Anyway, where was I?

1917 tells the story of 2 soldiers given roughly 12 hours (or as quick as they can really) to deliver a message some umpteen miles and many life-threatening dangers away.

With the exception of this being told in “one shot” this is pretty much like every other war film post-Saving Private Ryan in 1998. Maybe less sentimental than Dreamworks’ usual fare. It is of course brilliant, but once the novelty of the single shot wears off it’s nothing you haven’t seen before. Great performance by George McKay. It’s sometimes thrilling but I think I was too fascinated and curious with the filmmaking aspect to be fully invested in the story. Where were the cuts? How did they do the waterfall scene? What accent was Andrew Scott going for?

It’d be a respectable win, which few could argue with, but I’m game for shaking things up a bit.

Watch this on a Monday evening when you can’t be bothered with work.

8 Thumbs up!