Review of War Horse (2011) by Wayne K — 07 Nov 2015

No one does sentimental epics quite like Spielberg, and War Horse finds him at his most unabashedly weepy. It has gorgeous cinematography, great acting, some fantastic action scenes, is never boring despite a near 150 minute runtime, and has a very likeable central character, Joey, the titular horse who becomes embroiled in the First World War.

He's something of an equine Forrest Gump, travelling from place to place, encountering various situations and leaving an indelible and lasting impression on every person and situation he encounters.

Within the first 5 minutes we know exactly what kind of movie we're in for, with John Williams composing his usual Spielberg tear-jerking whimsy. It works in many scenes which are genuinely heartfelt, but often feels forced into moments where the film-makers obviously want us to reach for our handkerchiefs.

To this end the movie often feels rather manipulative, and while I won't argue its sentimentality is often corny and heavy-handed, I was genuinely moved by some of the scenes, particularly the ones featuring Joey and the human lead Albert, who raised him.

Sometimes, shots as simple as a horse running through a forest can be so powerful and evocative. If you're not big on thick cinematic syrup, this definitively isn't your movie. But if you are, and have come prepared with a box of tissues, be ready to use them.