MPAA Rating: R/Genre: Biographical War Drama/Stars: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Hugo Weaving, Teresa Palmer, Rachel Griffiths, Vince Vaughn, Ryan Corr, Richard Roxburgh, Luke Pegler, Richard Pyros, Ben Mingay, Michael Sheasby, Firass Dirani, Damien Thomlinson, Matt Nable, Ben O’Toole, Nathaniel Buzolic, Milo Gibson, Goran D. Kleut/Runtime: 139 minutes
I think it is safe to start this review off by saying that at this point in the long and storied history of cinema there is one question that perhaps is worth asking more than a lot of others. That question being “Is it really possible for an audience to be able to distinguish who an actor/actress is on screen with who they are/were in real life and if so should we be willing to do so when a situation calls for it?” The reason I bring this up dear reader is because of the director of the slice of cinema I am reviewing for you today, 2016’s Hacksaw Ridge, happens to be one Mel Gibson. Yes that would be the same Mel Gibson who starred in such gems of cinema as the Lethal Weapon franchise, 1995’s Braveheart (which he also directed), 1996’s Ransom, and Mad Max 1-3 to name but a few examples, and helmed 2004’s Passion of the Christ and 2006’s Apocalypto, but who also for a long stretch of time was seen as a persona non grata in Hollywood. A title that he managed to acquire due in large part to an volatile mix of extremely derogatory statements about certain world religions as well as recorded phone calls that showed off a rather vicious and ruthless anger management problem. With all of that in mind therefore, you can see why a lot of both the film reviewing community to say nothing of the general movie going public might have been more than just a wee bit leery about giving this slice of cinema the time of day. Thankfully, having seen the movie quite a few times since its initial release, I can safely say that those worries were very much unfounded. I say that dear reader because this slice of cinema may have some flaws to it, but by and large I really did and do enjoy this slice of cinema very much. Indeed, it might not be a definitive World War 2 movie in the vein of something like “Saving Private Ryan”, “The Longest Day”, or even “Dunkirk”, but with the aid of potent and hard-hitting work from Gibson and the rest of his immensely skilled team behind the camera as well as wonderful work from an extraordinarily talented cast of players in front of the camera there is no denying that Hacksaw Ridge is more than just a great entry in the war genre of movie magic. Rather, it is also proof that yes it can be quite difficult at times to separate an actor/actress’s on-screen persona with who they are in reality, but sometimes we need to be able to do so. Not just because forgiveness is an essential component to life, but because art in any form should also be given the chance to transcend any personal flaws on the part of its creator before being analyzed on its own distinct merits.
The plot is as follows: Based on a true story, the film gets underway by taking us back in time to the long-ago time and place known simply as 1920s Virigina where we are introduced to a young boy by the name of Desmond Doss. A boy who, following a particularly traumatic incident that I shan’t spoil for you here, results in our hero choosing to make the lifelong vow to engage in pacifism and never take another human life. 15 years later and we see that this choice has managed to work out quite well for Desmond as he has managed to grow into a wonderful young man whose life changes one day when he not only saves a man’s life, but is also able to even strike up a romance with a nurse he meets at the hospital in town by the name of Dorothy Schutte. Now normally you might think that this is where I would write “and they lived happily ever after” or something to that effect. Unfortunately, that is not the case since this is the year 1941. A year that, in the last month of, will see America tragically and horrifically pushed into participating in a little event known as World War 2. We soon see that, as the result of America choosing to join this conflict, that Desmond decides to, despite some reservations from both Dororthy and his veteran of the first World War father, enlist and become a combat medic. A bit problematic really since, unbeknownst to our hero, this will require him to handle a gun and defend his fellow soldiers on the battlefield by, amongst other things, killing the Japanese and any other enemy combatants. Of course, it should also come as no surprise to learn that Desmond soon finds this out and, upon learning that he refuses in any way or form to handle a gun, finds he has won a very unwelcome prize courtesy of the U.S. Army. That being a fairly steady stream of both belittlement from his fellow cadets to say nothing of (at minimum) deep-seated ire and (at most) a court-martial for insubordination from his two commanding officers, a Capt. Glover and Sgt. Howell respectively. Suffice it to say then that with the military not exactly in favor of his belief system to say nothing of him in particular and pressure mounting on him to just do what’s expected of him instead of what he holds true to can our intrepid hero rise up and show these men what honor truly looks like especially when given, through a miracle, to actually go out into the hell of conflict and participate in a seemingly pivotal moment during the Battle of Okinawa? That I will leave for you to discover for yourself dear reader…..
Now it should come as no surprise to learn that the work done behind the camera on this slice of cinema is absolutely top-tier in every sense of the word. This starts with the fact that, despite coming equipped with a fairly low-price tag of about 40 million dollars, this movie looks absolutely incredible. A fact that is most evident in the level of quality displayed in the scenes of actual combat which, without going into spoilers, makes up pretty much the entire second half of this movie. I mean right from the very first bullet shot, this slice of cinema gives us combat carnage that is both visceral and will remind you of what was seen in the film Saving Private Ryan. Indeed it is no closely guarded secret that Mel Gibson is a skilled helmer when it comes to showing just how brutal combat can get and he is just as on point here especially when taking into account the fact that the events he is choosing to showcase for us here are very much rooted in truth. Now I know there are those of you out there who might have an issue with such visceral and grisly combat brutality being found within a narrative about a man who was perhaps the dictionary definition of a pacifist. Yet whilst I understand your argument, I must also politely disagree with it. I say this because of at least one main point I would like to make. That point being that whilst the scenes of combat are visceral, there is a reason for that. That reason being so the movie can fully make its main character the human representative of grace when surrounded by brutality and bloodshed. Suffice it to say this is by no means a movie that is designed to make war seem fun or even glorified for that matter. Rather, it’s meant to show us just how much of a nightmare combat was for these guys and how one of the only rays of light and hope to be found for them, and by extension us, turned out to be our main character and his belief system respectively. Besides the exceptionally filmed moments of combat though, it is also worth noting that this slice of cinema is the blessed recipient of an incredibly well-penned script from a pair of writers named Robert Schenkkan (who also had a hand in the equally as well-done HBO war drama The Pacific) and Andrew Knight respectively. No the characters at times aren’t always as fleshed out as perhaps they should be nor for that matter does this slice of cinema do the best job at lightly traversing how distinct it is to see a pacifist be viewed as a hero let alone an inspiration in a locale where the concepts of “bravery” and “honor” are usually equated to how many of the enemy you were able to viciously mow down during battle or just your time in combat in general. Even with that in mind however, there is no denying that Gibson and his dynamic writing duo manage to contribute an undeniable degree of both confidence as well as genuineness to a narrative that is willing to shine a light on a type of honor that might be different than the norm, but at the end is by no means any less honorable and/or virtuous. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in wonderful efforts from the editing, sound design, and especially director of photography departments it’s clear that this is one film that was made with not just passion, but also an equal amount of heart and conviction as well.
Of course, the other component that can either work for or against a slice of cinema is the performances given by the cast of players in front of the camera. In that regard, it should be noted that is one less worry for this film since by and large everyone in the cast manages to give a really freaking good performance here. This starts with Andrew Garfield in the lead role of Desmond Doss and he is incredible. I mean yeah I get that all that a lot of movie goers out there really know Garfield for is his time spent as a certain web slinging Marvel super hero and that is fair because he really was an underrated Spider-Man/Peter Parker all things considered. However, if you really take the time to look at the parts he has managed to do both before and since his time as ol’ web head you will see that this guy really is an incredibly versatile talent and that is definitely the case here. Indeed not only does Garfield really make Desmond someone worth rooting for through just a general “aw shucks” country boy-style vibe to say nothing of a general affability and inherent decency, but he also makes sure to give him very human moments of weakness and doubt as well. Not just about what he believes in, but whether that belief system is even worth holding on to if all it’s going to get him is at best hostility from others and at worst possible prison time. Suffice it to say that it is an incredible turn and one that most deservedly got its star an Oscar nod for Best Actor. We also get a fantastic co-starring performance here from Hugo Weaving in the role of Desmond’s father. Yet, unlike most of his other roles, this one isn’t really an antagonistical part. Oh sure, there are moments where it might seem that way, but what Weaving does brilliantly here is give us a character who is a drunk, who does give his kids the ol’ belt, and who treats Desmond’s choice to serve with disdain amongst other things only to reveal that the reason isn’t because he’s an abusive parent. Rather, it’s because of the fact that he is unable to get past on a psychological level what he experienced during his time fighting in World War 1 and that resultant PTSD has messed him up quite a bit. Suffice it to say that he may have only 40-45 minutes of screentime tops in this, but Weaving manages to make every single one of those minutes count and top them off with a scene that is downright moving in both gravitas and in the way that Weaving brings it to life. I also really appreciated the work done here by Sam Worthington in the role of Desmond’s direct c.o. Capt. Jack Glover. Indeed Worthington does a great job at playing a guy who might at first be incredulous (to put it lightly) as to the contributions our hero and his non-violent practices could bring to the Army as a whole let alone his unit, but by the end of the film through events I shan’t spoil for you here really does come to view him as both a valued member of the squad and someone who he can count on to be there for him and the men should they need him most. Thus he might not be playing a blue man in this, but there is no denying the skill and talent Worthington brings to the role. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in some truly terrific co-starring turns from such talents as Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Richard Roxburgh, Rachel Griffiths, and (of all people) Vince Vaughn among others it’s clear that this film might have issues, but the cast is definitely not one of those.
All in all and at the end of the day is Hacksaw Ridge a perfect slice of cinema in the war genre? Honestly no. At the same time though, does that mean this is one film that is not worth watching in the least? I truthfully wouldn’t say that either dear reader. Indeed as both a movie as well as an instrument for its helmer to make his long-awaited comeback to mainstream Hollywood, this film is an incredibly well-done effort. An in-depth look at a young man who, despite his pacifist system of beliefs, managed to showcase incredible amounts of courage, loyalty, and honor during his time in the Second World War, this slice of cinema is one that does something rather unique. That being that it permits its helmer to, through the prism of the odyssey undertaken by the main character in the film, present his own journey of people looking down on him, belittling him, making him the butt of jokes a’plenty, treating him with hostility, and yet ultimately finding a way back to a place where he can be treated with respect and admiration for his efforts by his peers once more. Suffice it to say that I know that there are still quite a few people out there who want nothing more to do with anything Mel Gibson either chooses to star in or direct, but if you are one of those who are either curious enough or willing to give the man a second chance to amaze you with his skill then you will be pleasured to know this is very much a cinematic grand slam in every sense of the word. Yes there are a few issues to be found with this film should you look for them. However when you throw into the mix skilled work behind the camera and phenomenal work in front of the camera by an incredibly well-chosen cast of performers all operating at the peak of their abilities there is no doubt in my mind that Hacksaw Ridge is a potent and riveting look at a young man who may have challenged what it meant to be a hero at a specific point in time, but when all was said and done had managed to become a hero and an inspiration for all time. Make of that dear reader what thou will and Happy Memorial Day! On a scale of 1-5 I give Hacksaw Ridge a solid 4 out of 5.
