131 minutes, Drama/War
From weakness, strength is born.
From defeat, comes the desire to win.
Where there is a loss, there is also a gain.
Where there is a negative, a positive is always near.
From the ashes of war, emerges a story that shines, as exemplified in this gripping war drama from director Mel Gibson (APOCALYPTO, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST).
Filmed throughout various locations in New South Wales, Australia and starring an almost entirely Australian cast is the true story of American soldier Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield from THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN films). A pacifist and a deeply religious man, Desmond served as a medic during World War II at the Battle of Okinawa, in the Japanese Ryukyu Islands. Despite working on the front lines, Desmond never used a gun, saving many lives in the process and becoming the first conscientious objector to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The recent nomination of 13 AACTA Awards and the 10 minute standing ovation that HACKSAW RIDGE was the recipient of at the Venice Film Festival give no false impressions – this is one of the greatest war films of the 21st Century.Though there is almost incessant violence from the moment enemy territory is entered, it is the true account of one man who is unwilling to commit a single act of violence that sets HACKSAW RIDGE apart from all other war films, truly defining it as the anti-war film that it is. But before Desmond stepped foot into the war zone, he became a man with unyielding virtues and a devotion to his Seventh-day Adventist beliefs that are chronicled throughout a completely absorbing first half. These events, covering a timeline spanning from childhood to young adult, are integral to understanding and accepting how they do not desert him under the most extreme and desperate of circumstances.Once a tough training regime is complete, led by Army Sergeant Howell (a brilliant Vince Vaughn, quite unlike anything we’ve seen from him), war becomes a confronting and devastating reality with any mention of the word now buried in the past. Despite being surrounded by relentless bloodshed that is so powerfully choreographed and remarkably filmed, Mel Gibson ensures that sight is never lost of why we’re here – to witness an entirely different breed of bravery and a willing to sacrifice. Every moment spent on these battle grounds is captured with an intense realism that together with the true story witnessed, is extremely impacting on the viewer.
And it’s not just Gibson’s superior direction, along with several technical aspects (such as editing, sound mixing and production design just to name a few) that I’m tipping will have Oscar nominations aplenty coming its way. It’s unlikely we’ll see Teresa Palmer in contention, but this is the best she has ever been, portraying Desmond’s love interest. HACKSAW RIDGE unearths a career-best display of professional acting by a perfectly cast and outstanding Andrew Garfield, who will be a surefire contender.
It may have taken a 14 year path to production for its 2016 release, but HACKSAW RIDGE is absolutely one of the year’s best films. A must see!
4.5 out of 5
Trailer
HACKSAW RIDGE
Viewer Discretion
MA15+ – Strong Battle Violence, Blood and Gore
HACKSAW RIDGE contains intense prolonged realistically graphic sequences of war violence including grisly bloody images. Not one for the faint of heart!
Moviedoc wishes to thank Annette Smith and Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn for the invitation to the word-of-mouth preview of HACKSAW RIDGE.
Review by Moviedoc
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