Hacksaw Ridge (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Whether you like him or not, Mel Gibson is back, and back in a big way as director of the stellar 'Hacksaw Ridge', which is based on the true story of Desmond Doss, a Seventh-day Adventist pacifist who enlisted in WWII, refused to carry a weapon or kill during the Battle of Okinawa, yet still rescued some 75 wounded men en route to being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The film opens in the Blue Ridge Mts. of Virginia & introduces us to 2 brothers, Desmond & Howard Doss. Their father, Tom (Hugo Weaving), a WWI vet still suffering from both PTSD & crippling survivor's guilt, is prone to violent, alcohol-fueled outbursts. Following Pearl Harbor, Desmond (now Andrew Garfield) & Howard - who love their country - decide to enlist; driving a wedge btwn. them & unaccepting daddy.
Howard opts for a straightforward enlistment, while Desmond enters as a Conscientious Objector, intending to be an unarmed medic. Meanwhile, he charmingly woos nurse, Dorothy Schutte (pretty Teresa Palmer), wins her over, & promises to marry her on his 1st leave. Action shifts to boot camp, where Desmond doesn't fit in because he won't touch a rifle; angering gruff Sgt. Howell (Vince Vaughn), Capt. Glover (Sam Worthington), as well as the men in his unit who label him a coward. With an assist from his father during a Court-Martial, Desmond then gets the right to stay in the army & head-out to the deadly 400 ft. high escarpment at Okinawa. And after roughly 75 minutes of this film's 130, we finally get to the gory, graphic war action at the strongly defended Hacksaw Ridge. After his company retreats, Desmond proves his worth as a war hero; returning alone, darting from body to body, checking for life, treating the injured, & calling upon God for assistance.
Although the 1st half of 'Hacksaw Ridge' is a tad hokey and workmanlike in establishing character relationships & situations - the film kicks into gear with the assault at Okinawa. The battles are highly reminiscent of the Omaha Beach sequence from Saving Private Ryan. Mel Gibson holds NOTHING back with the horrors of war (torn flesh, slashed throats, beheadings, entrails, exploding limbs, etc.). War is hell, & Gibson choreographs each moment clearly, yet bluntly so that we get a full visceral effect. Most of the last hour is not for the faint of heart. I had to look away a few times. The violence we see is not gratuitous ... but it is graphic.
Brit actor Andrew Garfield does an excellent job playing hero, Desmond Doss. I've felt that Garfield has had the IT factor ever since seeing him in 2010's The Social Network. He's got one of those wiry, yet strong bodies and open faces that can convey whatever emotion is necessary of him at any moment. Here, he exudes intelligence, charm, a palpable inner spiritual life ... and I just think he's great. I look forward to what he'll bring us in Martin Scorsese's Silence, which is due for release next month. Garfield brings such vitality to the role (physically, emotionally), & even shares lovely chemistry with Teresa Palmer as his love interest/wife. Hugo Weaving brings humanity & complexity to the abusive father role. Rachel Griffiths is solid as Doss' abused mother. And the warrior trio of Vince Vaughn (in his R. Lee Ermy/Lou Gossett Jr. role), Sam Worthington, & Luke Bracey impress, as well. I find it funny that 90% of this cast is Australians playing Americans.
Some might feel that this film is at odds with itself as to what it wants to convey. On one hand, Mel Gibson ably represents Desmond Doss' pacifist principles. He shows how humanity can be maintained on the battlefield. And the heroism depicted here is about SAVING lives rather than TAKING them. On the other hand, Gibson revels in violence (Braveheart, Passion of the Christ & Apocalypto) -- there's more gore here than in most horror flicks! In any case, I like how he shows the soldiers - who at 1st abused Desmond - apologizing/bonding with him after recognizing his bravery, integrity, & beliefs. This movie is unapologetically & efficiently old-fashioned. And there's a nice blend of emotional melodrama mixed-in with the traumatic battle sequences. I really admire 'Hacksaw Ridge'.
Howard opts for a straightforward enlistment, while Desmond enters as a Conscientious Objector, intending to be an unarmed medic. Meanwhile, he charmingly woos nurse, Dorothy Schutte (pretty Teresa Palmer), wins her over, & promises to marry her on his 1st leave. Action shifts to boot camp, where Desmond doesn't fit in because he won't touch a rifle; angering gruff Sgt. Howell (Vince Vaughn), Capt. Glover (Sam Worthington), as well as the men in his unit who label him a coward. With an assist from his father during a Court-Martial, Desmond then gets the right to stay in the army & head-out to the deadly 400 ft. high escarpment at Okinawa. And after roughly 75 minutes of this film's 130, we finally get to the gory, graphic war action at the strongly defended Hacksaw Ridge. After his company retreats, Desmond proves his worth as a war hero; returning alone, darting from body to body, checking for life, treating the injured, & calling upon God for assistance.
Although the 1st half of 'Hacksaw Ridge' is a tad hokey and workmanlike in establishing character relationships & situations - the film kicks into gear with the assault at Okinawa. The battles are highly reminiscent of the Omaha Beach sequence from Saving Private Ryan. Mel Gibson holds NOTHING back with the horrors of war (torn flesh, slashed throats, beheadings, entrails, exploding limbs, etc.). War is hell, & Gibson choreographs each moment clearly, yet bluntly so that we get a full visceral effect. Most of the last hour is not for the faint of heart. I had to look away a few times. The violence we see is not gratuitous ... but it is graphic.
Brit actor Andrew Garfield does an excellent job playing hero, Desmond Doss. I've felt that Garfield has had the IT factor ever since seeing him in 2010's The Social Network. He's got one of those wiry, yet strong bodies and open faces that can convey whatever emotion is necessary of him at any moment. Here, he exudes intelligence, charm, a palpable inner spiritual life ... and I just think he's great. I look forward to what he'll bring us in Martin Scorsese's Silence, which is due for release next month. Garfield brings such vitality to the role (physically, emotionally), & even shares lovely chemistry with Teresa Palmer as his love interest/wife. Hugo Weaving brings humanity & complexity to the abusive father role. Rachel Griffiths is solid as Doss' abused mother. And the warrior trio of Vince Vaughn (in his R. Lee Ermy/Lou Gossett Jr. role), Sam Worthington, & Luke Bracey impress, as well. I find it funny that 90% of this cast is Australians playing Americans.
Some might feel that this film is at odds with itself as to what it wants to convey. On one hand, Mel Gibson ably represents Desmond Doss' pacifist principles. He shows how humanity can be maintained on the battlefield. And the heroism depicted here is about SAVING lives rather than TAKING them. On the other hand, Gibson revels in violence (Braveheart, Passion of the Christ & Apocalypto) -- there's more gore here than in most horror flicks! In any case, I like how he shows the soldiers - who at 1st abused Desmond - apologizing/bonding with him after recognizing his bravery, integrity, & beliefs. This movie is unapologetically & efficiently old-fashioned. And there's a nice blend of emotional melodrama mixed-in with the traumatic battle sequences. I really admire 'Hacksaw Ridge'.