Film Review: 1917 (2019)

1917 is by far director Sam Mendes’ most personal work. The first-time screenwriter (collaborating with Krysty Wilson-Cairns) based the film on a story his grandfather told him about “a messenger who has a message to carry.” Mendes also dedicated the film to his grandfather, a World War I veteran.

It’s also Mendes’ grandest directorial achievement. The film is a technical marvel, boasting excellent cinematography and lighting from Roger Deakins, a (usually) convincing “one take” edit courtesy of Lee Smith and a compelling lead performance from George MacKay.

The film’s technical limits put a lot of weight on the 27-year-old Brit’s shoulders. Its “single take” structure forces MacKay and his co-star Dean-Charles Chapman to react to everything that happens on screen and make the reactions interesting. Several major British actors make cameos, but 1917 is MacKay and Chapman’s film.

The entire enterprise would have collapsed under its own weight if either performance weren’t stellar. Luckily for the film and the audience, both actors are more than up to the task. MacKay is especially stunning; he does so much with so little, conveying pain, anger, grief and apathy in his face. The performance turns on its subtleties and forces the audience to pay attention.

The cinematography is the best element of the film. Roger Deakins nearly outdoes himself, creating set pieces that blow the audience away and distract from the moments the film works a little too hard to keep the magic going. A sequence in a bombed-out French town near the middle of the film is the highlight; Deakins lights the night time scene with flares, bombs and fire, creating what could be his masterwork.

Mendes should also be credited for using the alchemy of cinema to create a true masterpiece. MacKay and Chapman’s performances and Deakins’ cinematography are the only standout elements of the film. Every other aspect rangers from mediocre to bad. This is especially true of the screenplay, which is every war film cliche ever wrapped up into a neat two-hour package. The trajectory of the film is evident the moment a character mentions being home by Christmas and 1917 makes no attempt to challenge the audience’s expectations. It lessens the impact of the film’s “war is pointless” message and takes you out of the experience.

The editing isn’t too much to write home about, either. Even with the “single take,” the cuts are relatively apparent and there’s a jarring jump cut in the film as if to make sure the audience stays awake. It’s not needed: I saw the film on four hours’ sleep and was gripped the entire time.

Sam Mendes and his collaborators somehow created a masterpiece worth seeking out on the biggest screen. I can’t explain how or why and I suppose that makes 1917 the ur-case for the magic of cinema. Sometimes great things just happen.

Final score: 9.2/10