The best film of 2019 technically. A must watch for those who love camera work.
Brilliantly shot and edited to appear as a single take, every camera movement is intelligent and serves a purpose as the mission unfolds. The edits are camouflaged behind the camera work which is combined with precise time blocking.
The performances of the two young leads Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay are engaging, with both leads swapping the narrative focus from each other in meticulously planned storytelling beats. The mission is the key focus as the two soldiers make their way through increasingly dangerous situations. Along the way, they encounter key army personnel, played by a cameo row of British actors, including Andrew Scott, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Richard Madden who put in brief like a single frame, but impressive performances
The cinematography by Roger Deakins is mesmerizing, choreographed, and executed to perfection around the horrific elements of war. Some of the frames are visually breathtaking, and demand to be revisited to absorb everything they have to offer. Thomas Newman’s score escalates the experience of soaring heights. This film could easily sweep up all the technical awards at the Oscars this year. All these factors firmly put director Sam Mendes in the upper echelon of directors currently working today, if he wasn’t there already. ‘1917’ is tense, captivating, meticulous, horrifying, and stirring – an exceptional achievement in filmmaking.
A 5/5 for this film.
No comments:
Post a Comment