Review of Hacksaw Ridge (2016) by Patricia W — 07 Dec 2017

Based on the true story of Desmond Doss, Hacksaw Ridge tells the extraordinary story of how he became a medic as a conscientious objector in WWII and saved many lives without ever firing a gun.

The acting is fantastic across the board and this is Andrew Garfield's best performance to date, as Desmond Doss he is able to embody a simple naivety, somewhat akin to Forest Gump, and a great wealth of emotion as his character develops but stays true to his beliefs. Hugo Weaving also puts in a layered performance as his father, Tom Doss, who is a damaged and violent man bearing the scars of his time in the military. Luke Bracey also makes a great, somewhat villainous character Smitty Ryker, who gets a reasonable character arc but could have done with a little more screen time.

Being based around real events and real people, the plot is extremely interesting and truly inspiring. Due to his upbringing and his religion Desmond has a very strong set of principles and refuses to take a life and rather help the war effort by saving lives as a medic. The obstacles he faces and the dedication he has to this goal is truly inspiring and has a very uplifting message.

The pace is a little inconsistent throughout the film, there is quite a long build to the conflict at Hacksaw Ridge where the pace is slow but it's well used with character development and back story that pays off as the pace speeds up. The tension is also built up very well leading to the initial gunfire and it manages to maintain this at the crucial moments towards the end of the film. The romantic storyline however is the weakest part of the film, with quite cheesy dialogue and moments that could have been cut down. The other men Desmond undertakes his training with are also a little cartoonish and could have done with a little more character development to get the audience more invested in their welfare at Hacksaw Ridge.

The action scenes on the other hand are very well done and don't glorify it. The violence is extremely brutal and realistic looking and really draws you into the shock and horror of those moments. The sound design in these scenes is also extremely good and the use of slow motion really amplifies the more horrifying or heroic moments.

This film really is masterfully performed and directed and manages to stand out as something truly special and different from a lot of other war films.