Review of 1917 (2019) by Keithdow — 10 Jan 2020

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The director, the actor, and the cinematographer. Sam Mendes, George MacKay, and Roger Deakins.

This trinity of artists has achieved something truly special with their World War War I masterpiece ‘1917.’ There are good movies. There are great movies. And every so often—perhaps once a year at most, if we the audience may be so spoiled—there are movies that advance the art form beyond its present state, towards a loftier plane of existence. ‘1917’ is indeed one of these movies.

Upon seeing the film, words feel trivial in trying to characterize or describe in any meaningful way the experience that this movie provides. Give director Sam Mendes a pen and a camera and there isn’t anything he can’t do. Afford him the privilege of working with lead actor George MacKay and sublimity follows. Pair them both with legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins and transcendence awaits.

The “single take” effect in which the film is presented is not new. Others have also done it to great acclaim, such as Alejandro G. Inarritu with ‘Birdman’ or Ilya Naishuller with ‘Hardcore Henry.’ But no other film has done it better than ‘1917’ and quite frankly there are few, if any films in recent memory, that have been so thoroughly exceptional in every other facet of the filmmaking process.