Review of Hacksaw Ridge (2016) by Shawn R — 20 Feb 2017

Mel Gibson's latest wartime wonder positions an uplifting tale of semi-truth against a backdrop of all-out brutality. The contrast hits us hard, but its equally hard to hold in the odd bad laugh when moments of Michael Bay madness are thrown into the mix out of nowhere.

Andrew Garfield is superb as the misguided, moralising hero at the film's heart, and Gibson's action sequences are, for the most part, immersive, unpredictable and unbelievably tense. That is, until Garfield starts slapping and kicking the odd grenade for good measure.

The screenplay certainly has its holes and all subtly is thrown to the wind, as is to be expected of Mr Gibson. But Hacksaw Ridge is still an all-round emotional rollercoaster and a fine slice of gut-punching cinema, if your stomach can handle a little cheese.