Film of the Week: Hacksaw Ridge

This is not a film you can sit down and watch, this is a film you have to prepare for. It’s a powerful war epic that doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the detail. This is not for the faint hearted. If you feel queasy or otherwise at the sight of blood, then stay clear of this film. The war scenes are intense. There’re the most realistic scenes of war since Saving Private Ryan’s opening scene showcasing how intense D-day was.

Hacksaw Ridge follows the true story of Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector in history to earn the Medal of Honour, the highest medal, without firing a single shot, or even holding a weapon. His intentions are to fight by being a medic. Singlehandedly, he saves 79 lives. It must be noted however, that the official number is hard to come by. Some say it’s over 100, others say it was less than 79. The filmmakers decided to meet in the middle and go with the number in the film. He combats exhaustion, The Japanese military, and constant bombarding from the ships out at sea that are attempting to exterminate the enemy by firing huge bombs in their direction.

Desmond Doss’s services were inspirational. He fought with the 77th Infantry Division during the battle of Okinawa atop of Hacksaw Ridge, where their mission was to push back the Japanese. If they were successful, their chances of winning the war would increase considerably. Being a Seventh-day Adventist, he refused to carry a weapon. Others believed him to be crazy for attempting to go into battle without a way to defend himself. He turned their words upside down when he went above and beyond the call of duty and rescued and saved the lives of many men.

With the film being based on a true story, some creative influences have slipped in, but it stuck to as many of the facts and portrayed them tastefully and as accurately as possible, to show us the audience what it was like fighting in a war, and the challenges the army and Desmond Doss faced every second.

Andrew Garfield’s performance, and everyone else’s was sensational. This two-and-a-half-hour epic feature film explores every aspect of training, and fighting, and the relationship with their fellow colleagues.

This was Mel Gibson’s first role as a director in ten years. He does not show any rust. He knew exactly what he was doing to generate the running theme of anti-war. To add to the incredibly powerful atmosphere Mel created, Rupert Gregson-Williams’ score captured every emotion all at once. Normally I watch a film to have a rest, but instead I came away from this film needing a calm down. I can only imagine what it must have felt like watching it on the big screen at the cinema.

One of the things I am grateful for is the lack of shaky cam. Intended to increase the action, all it does it create a disorientated mess that’s hard to concentrate on and disconnects you from the film, sometimes even making you dizzy or ill. There is a lot of action scenes in this film, and if Mel decided to use shaky cam, I doubt it would have been half as successful. Everyone can focus on everything that’s going on without having to struggle or rewind to catch a pivotal moment.

It will be a while before I’ve prepared myself to experience this film once more, I will be honest. It’s not something I can stick on in the background, or fall asleep in front of, or because I have nothing else to watch. If I am to watch this film again, I really have to have a reason so I can brace myself for the intensity and emotional rollercoaster it brings.

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)