Mentioned in the video that my Great Grandfather was a Sergeant Major in WW1. My Great Grandmother dug out some old photos of him that can be seen at - instagram.com/p/B7eUKEbgbk1/
Heavy Spoilers one of the few movies I’m definitely planning on purchasing on blu ray. Going back this weekend to watch it in RPX, only saw it in standard. A very enjoyable and entertaining ride.
The scene where Schofield cried after crawling (over the dead bodies) out of the river is the scene that stuck with me. He’s human. Not some stoic Bond or Jason Bourne or some glib quipping ‘superhero.’ I felt his emotional and physical exhaustion.
it was very emotional to see schofield in that truck looking at the little yard where blake was killed getting further and further, with everyone around him telling jokes
This movie had better jump scares then 99% of horror movies and they aren't really meant to be. When a explosion goes off at one point all of my friends and I jumped in our seats. You know it was coming I was even prepared but the sound design and shot get you. I saw it in IMAX and it really helped show the quite vs loud moments in war. Too bad the trailers kinda ruined a lot of the suspense the movie has.
I knew nothing about this move coming in and Blake's death hit me really hard, and the strangulation scene is the most horrific thing in the movie with no jump scares
@@danielmatthews5759 dude plus showing it from the perspective of trying to get water Blake was insisting he drink, it was presented in such an empathetic yet horrifying way, kinda the thesis of the movie
It really stuck with me how in the end, the Commander just told him to screw off after delivering the message. We had just seen this insane course of events through bombs, gunfires, crashes, and more to deliver this message, and he just shrugs it off as nothing. It shows how quickly things moved in war, and how there are likely thousands of stories like Schofield/Blake's that haven't been told.
@@benjamingranby5269 That's an untrue myth I'm afraid. The 'Lions lead by Donkeys" myth has been discredited many times and was even made up in the first place.
I thought his speech was excellent aswell, that he initially seems like a bloodthirsty commander who just wants battle but then reveals that the only way the war will end is by 'last man standing'. He wants it to finish just as much as everyone else
Finn Walker It also shows how reckless he was with human life though. He was willing to send all of his men to fight for the sole purpose of being the last left on the battlefield. It’s unsettling how lightly he acts toward this notion
I too was gutted by the final commanders dismissal of him, after all he went through to get there (and of course the commander didn't know, but still). However the other captain by the doorway thanked him for what he did and for bringing the message.
It reminds me of that line in endgame where Captain America said we have to succeed cuz I don't know what we'll do if we don't The corprals didn't have a choice they had to complete their mission if they didn't 1600 men die not acceptable
@@MM-qi5mk did you realize that he didn't bother to tell the other British soldiers exactly what happened they wouldn't have understood trying to show compassion to the enemy
@@magicpyroninja , good catch! his brother was told it was quick and wasnt alone. He never mentioned a German stabbing him while he was trying to help him WAR IS HELL
The scene that caught me off guard was when Blake asks Schofield: “Am I dying?” And he answered: “Yes, I think you are”. I was expecting the usual “you are gonna be ok”, but the sincerity of Schofield at that moment was really moving. To some extent it gave Blake the opportunity to put his affirs in order, something many can´t have in a battlefield.
I went through something similar with my buddy back in 2008, we worked on him for over five hours (btw myself who initially got to him, two advanced medics, the medics on the evac helo, and docs at Ibn Sina, but eventually he (and I knew) that he wasn't going to make it, I held his hand while he expired; it was not a very pleasant experience.
And he held blake in his arms as he died with blood on his hands and spoke to him to quell his fear that he undoubtedly felt (despite his stoic statement "tell my mother I wasn't scared")
@@mudd7779 Glad someone noticed that, one line in the film establishes his hesitation to go over no man's land and the director's knowledge of WW1 was appreciated.
This movie captivated me in nonstop motion. A lot of people criticized the lack of depth for the characters but I couldn’t disagree more. Like you said, no one had time to mourn and this is often the pace of war I’ve seen first hand. You don’t have time to grieve, you have to pick up and keep moving without looking back and this film depicted that hell, nightmarish reality with such careful detail. This film was incredible
Yeah it was crazy seeing The Ebert Review say there was no humanity to it, I thought the complete opposite, this is actually what people are like, closed off and not breaking into monologues every 20 minutes. Thought it was incredible and glad you liked it too
Spoilers: I like how the movie shift his hero's perspective from Blake to Schofield in the middle of the story and as an audience we don't have time for mourning either but have to accept the fact that during war life or death are simply accidental...
There's a subtle camera shift that foreshadows the change in narrative. Up until the farmhouse the camera followed Blake. When they split up to enter the house the camera switched to follow Schofield.
Kevin Kluck I was the only one of my family to notice that. I had fun telling them afterwards :P I absolutely love the subtlety of it. It didn’t shout out at you, and yet I _felt_ something shift beneath the surface as it happened, even if it took until Blake hit the ground for it to hit me. _God_ this film is amazing, I love it so much!
I was an extra on the film, I can't help but laugh at the final shot at the tree. About 100 extras used that tree to piss on as the toilets were so far away. We had no idea that the ending would take place with the main actor sitting under it!
I thought that was forsure going to be a factor and it never came. Wonder why they did that. They paid too much attention to it for it to have no purpose
M M I mean maybe that's the point.. an infection would take more than a day to show up and kill him. Infections are what killed many many soldiers in WW1. After surviving all those near-death moments, all the ups and downs, and saving hundreds of men, in theory, he most likely did die to a painful infection later on. That one small moment, so early on in the movie, is what brought our hero down. Fuck, this movie was so good.
@@MM-qi5mk I wouldn't say it served no purpose. For one it shows just how dangerous EVERYTHING is on the battlefield. And secondly, we can probly assume that the wound will cause problems "after" the movie's runtime.
Blake seems like more of a innocent boy caught in the conflict, like when he helps the enemy pilot and Schofield seems like the veteran solider who knows what he's doing, in one part it talks about how he was in the Somme which was the bloodiest battle in British military history.
Talks about how they should have shot the rat that set off the trip mine when they had a chance, leaving schofield with the same thought.. should’ve shot that pilot when he had the chance..
bigblackjay900 that area is called the zone rouge and it is off limits to humans to this day, unexploaded ordnance, and toxic chemicals like mercury and arsenic from the chemical warfare.
Them going over the top for the first time was really dramatic. I knew that they were going to make it but the fear of advancing into the unknown was real.
@@bengale9977 lol as soon as I saw the muddy craters, grey sky, and dead bodies I wanted them to get out as soon as possible BUT I enjoyed the fuck out of that scene
And the movie is so masterful, you saw the blood draining from his face and you knew he was going to die. The technical accomplishment of making a character bleed out without obvious cut shots (to reapply makeup, etc) is as astonishing as the flare over the village was terrifying.
That's not your interpretation, captain obvious, if there was ever a scene that literally HITS YOU OVER THE HEAD with it's obviousness, it's that one. Great job. You're a f**king poet.
This is why Hollywood couldn't make this movie. They would have had Schofield's character give some heroic monologue to Blake about how he'll live and go home and by Christmas, he'll be with his sweetheart bullshit, which would then be followed by some overly dramatic scene where Schofiled pledges never to rest until every German is dead.
@@heavyspoilers Eh, not really. The movie goes to great lengths to show just how much downtime there is in war in-between the moments of horror by implication.
The Serious Strategy Gamer Yeh, in the first moments of the movie you get told that it's the 6th of april 1917. So more than one and a half years still to go
Not to mention his wife wrote on the back of that photo "come back to us" he still has another year to deal with the horrors of war. But that ending kind of got to me. I left the theater crying on the inside and speechless.
Interesting analysis. I agree with your conclusion that the ending of the movie was perfect, but I interpreted the significance of the final scene totally differently: Schofield wasn't fighting for his family back home, but for his comrade, Blake. Watching Schofield pull out the photographs of his family in the final scene was so powerful, not because he was fighting for his loved ones back home, but because he was forced to literally and figuratively compartmentalize them to fight for his fallen brother in arms. To me, the ending signified that the bonds of brotherhood forged in combat can be stronger than actual family. Think about the motivations Blake and Schofield had to successfully complete their mission: Blake risked his life to save his actual brother, while Schofield's wife and daughters, were back home. Schofield had every reason in the world to avoid danger to make it safely home to his family, but he went forward in the face of incredible danger because his figurative brother (Blake) was depending on him. The movie constantly juxtaposes the love of actual family with the love of one's brother in arms. For example, when Blake and Schofield are trapped in the collapsing bunker, Blake risks his life to save Schofield, even though, by doing so, he risked failing his mission to save his actual brother. Once Blake died, Schofield could have turned back, and nobody would have faulted him for failing. To an outside observer, any sane man trying to get back to his family would have turned back, but Schofield went on out of a sense of duty to Blake. The movie reinforced his sense of duty by showcasing the two opposing mindsets any soldier must adopt in combat: realism and idealism. Schofield was a realist, while Blake was an idealist. For example, after they rescued the enemy aviator, Schofield thought they should execute him, while Blake wanted to give him water. Ultimately, Blake’s idealism lead to his own demise. As a realist, Schofield recognized the futility of his actions in the grand scheme of the war. What was the significance of saving a single battalion in a war where the British Army suffered over 50,000 casualties in a single day? The movie drove this point home when Schofield delivered his orders to the Colonel, who responded something to the effect of, “Today the orders are to stand down, next week they’ll be to attack at dawn. There’s only one way this war ends. Last man standing.” Even through Schofield accomplished his mission, it likely had no impact on the outcome of the war or the lives of the soldiers in that battalion because they’d just be going over the top again the next week. Schofield knew this, but pushed on anyways because he had a duty to Blake, and if he failed the mission, Blake ultimately would have been just another soldier who died for nothing in a senseless war. While some critics faulted the movie for lack of character development, this is precisely what made the ending so powerful. We didn’t learn until the end of the movie that Schofield had a wife and kids because it was irrelevant until that very moment. Schofield was a man who had every reason to keep his head down and do his best to survive a pointless war to get to his family. Even though he literally carried his family with him in his pocket everywhere he went, he compartmentalized that essential part of him in a box and risked his life out of a sense of duty to his brother in arms. To me, the ending emphasizes that love conquers all things, and the most powerful love all is the love one has for his brothers in combat. It is without a doubt, the most powerful and perfect ending to a war movie I have ever seen.
I think this is perfect! Because, you see that Schofield was so quick to sacrifice his food and goods for the young woman and the baby; he had it so rough just prior to that scene having lost Blake and nearly perishing himself, that he jumps at the opportunity to do something restorative in the face of the destruction. He wanted a piece of home; and I felt that he really desperately wanted to stay back with them as it was a reminder of home (we didn't know that he was a father or husband at the time; but that scene left me convinced). He left that room with much anguish, but he did it for his brother in arm Blake.
I actually interpret the whole thing has him abandoning his family as he mentioned something along the lines of "Once I knew I could get as far away as possible from them, I took the chance." around the beginning about the turkey (?). And the ending he made him reconsider meeting his family due to Blake and the mother.
I haven’t had sweaty palm, jaw drops, heart races and jumps like that in a movie before. I rode every bump. I wanna go and see it again. My favourite scene is the soldier singer, the way it comes instantly after the water chaos was just a stunning transition. 11/10.
@@ccomp9727 He was also really tired / drowsy / worn out from having gone through all that recent horror of war. Super tiring fighting the current of a river etc. You'd probably become captivated by anything beautiful and lose concentration now and then when you get that rare chance to stop and think when resting etc. "All quiet on the Western Front" is another fantastic film exploring that idea. The whole river scene I found a bit odd, like he would just happen to arrive at exactly the location he needed. He also probably would have drowned in the river. However, that was not the point of these scenes - to be super realistic. More about telling the story and the human side of it all IMO. As people have said, the sniper on the bridge would have got him, or one of the soldiers in the village if you'd been spotted and were running etc. most likely you'd be hit IMO. But it's more about him making his way through danger, risking his life for the greater good etc.
@@timjaysadler3097 Maybe not the soldiers in the village, most if not all of them had been drinking, that is not going to do much for your accuracy. Light levels were not good, lot of burning stuff around which means lots of stuttering patches of light and shadow, he is a moving target, hunkering low, taking advantage of what cover he can, makes him surprisingly difficult to hit, it is certainly conceivable that he could have made it. The sniper though, that is another matter, much harder to see how he missed.... .
When he's in the town looking at the burning building and notices the sillouetted soldier, you can see his hesitation and then fear as the unknown figure begins running at him and then you notice the bayonet on the end of the figure's rifle.. O.O You FELT all of those emotions. It just underscores the uncertainty and 'fog' of war.
Nate R I felt that scene was the most heart racing for me. Not the deepest or the saddest in any means. But the unknown figure appearing out of the fire, then just hauling towards him got me sweating lol
I would have used my weapon. Heavy odds are, they're the enemy. And the pilot I either would have let burn, or delivered a coups de grace. War is terrible. Your job is to survive.
Perhaps she is supposed to symbolize Virgin Mary and the baby; Jesus. Would like to hear someone more well versed in religion to explain the usage of religious symbolism. There are so many times "Jesus" is shouted in the heat of battle leading to that scene, that it's probably not a coincidence.
When people say the characters have no depth I'm like no shit. This isn't a movie about two guys who just happened to be in a war. It's about the horrifying experience of WW1, and wars in general i suppose. That's the depth. The continuous shot way of filming makes it seem so real that i feel you're supposed to project yourself into the scenario on some level, and everyone is familiar with themselves so there's another form of depth.
I think it's because those people are desensitized towards seeing men going through hell. We treat it half the time as entertainment, and so the popcorn munchers who gush over something like A Marriage Story treat the hellscape of war as though it's just a backdrop to the character's story. Instead, it IS the story, and they don't realize it because it's not something they care about. Apparently, according to certain corners of Twitter, it's just another White Male story, which means they think it isn't worth telling. Hell, I've even seen reviews calling it soulless, or 'irresponsibly failing to confront nationalism in the era of Trump', etc. They can't see this movie as a story within itself of how awful this war was for the men who suffered in it, because they don't give much of a shit about those men to begin with. If this were a movie about a woman doing the exact same thing as Schofield, those same critics would be gushing over how incredible her journey was.
@@danieljones8177 WHAT!!! WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE, WHAT DO THEY MEAN NO DEPTH!!!!!! I SPENT THE WHOLE MOVIE CRYING!!!! you can see it in their faces and yes the are stoic but they aren't new recruits exSpEshaly the main guy cus he's been through shit and seen some stuff so he isn't going to break down and then grown stronger. he's been there, done that and broken again. No, he doesn't have a fuking choice and has to keep going so he can save a shit tone of people and deliver on his promise to his dead friend ALSO I SAW MORE EMOTION IN THE LITTLE EXPRESSION AND PAUSES IN HIS FACE THEN IN SOME ENTIRE MOVIES!!!!!
Who is saying this? No reason, just my baseball bat wanted to know. You don’t get quite the full understanding of the characters but you get the idea of their depth, which is just as good. You can also see that the one who makes it is completely broken by the end of it, and watching as that happens really gives you an idea of his character.
They were shooting hipfire while sprinting most of the time, also the point is that he is lucky enough to have survived everything to transfer the message
Hollywood =\= real life. Hip-firing while running with a rifle is much harder than you think. I’m more surprised that the Germans never bothered to stand still and aim properly.
Brilliant film, I thought Blake was the protagonist yet he's killed not even a quarter way through, there's no pat on the back in the end, there's no real happy ending just silence.
To bad it is a complete fabrication that is an insult to the boys who actually died in that conflict. Is resembles the most putrid and dangerous form of historical revisionism I have ever seen about this era.
@@00ABBITT00 Most parties I frequent, the crowd is competent and knowledgable enough so movie gimmickry does not dismantle their notion of historical accuracy and realism. In fact, at those parties it would be obvious to everybody that this plot is a slap in the face of every casualty of the arrogance, ineptitude and stubbornness displayed by the posh higher ups. I would say that at those parties, were it ever mentioned, stupid historical revisionism like this dumb plot would have been dealt with in the first 5 minutes.
When Schofield was told to make sure there were witnesses when he presented the letter because men are just in it for the action hit such a spot!!! The whole experience made it for me feel like what it could have felt like being in war and having to learn to wrap my head around hard concepts and keep moving forward. All of the subtleness also came out and spoke loud volumes and I appreciated this film 100% and especially its cinematography.
@@kaamgirl101 I believe he meant that some men disobey just for havoc and that not everyone can be trusted to follow orders when they are in power. Not too sure but that's just what I got from it.
After that warning I expected Cumberbatch's character to be some battle crazy die hard or like Brando in Apocalypse Now. But fortunately they didn't go down that obvious route.
Yes...yes it was. other parts of the film do the same thing if you know the way they often make films with journeys rhyme. I think I've heard Robocop is the most symmetrical but in this case from what I can tell already, walking through trenches at the end mirrors trenches at beginning, the angelic singing in the forest mirrors the hellish no mans land, the river seems to mirror the tomb trench thing etc
I love how brutally honest this movie takes war. You have Schofield and Blake leading the movie with Blake being assumed to reach the end. He was called up first and has the motivation to save his brother. You'd think he'd make it to the end and succeed, but war does not discriminate and literally anyone can be taken at any moment. It's a miracle Schofield makes it to the end and yet he was too late to call off the first wave resulting in the loss of many of those men.
This shows we need more Worl War I movies. With the advent of Iran today, this is a war that needs to be brought back. Because, world war II gets alot of the spotlight, but it is really a rare war where ethics and ideology was the center point. World War I is a war based on what war is usually fought, land, resources, or politics. This needs to be brought back how quickly we can dehumanize each other and how quickly shit can get out of hand and a pointless war breaks out. World War I is a reminder that humans will fight with out ideology and ethics. World War I needs to be remembered, imho more so than World War II.
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 100% I feel like WWI has a lot more to say about man vs man and how ultimately it just ends in misery, really no one won that war, just lead to a lot of loss
@@heavyspoilers indeed, the hellish conditions and straight up reasons that war did really does as you said highlights the inhumanity of it. To me best scene in the movie was the ghost town being lit up by illumination artillery. It really looked like a hellscape, I got chills from it. And a friend who was in Iraq said it captured the hellish nature of war in a single instance.
I just saw it and I definitely felt that “no time to take it in” thing, and I think my favorite thing was the trenches itself, showing a contrast between the makeshift British trenches which shows the mindset of “we will be moving soon anyways no time to build” and the German concrete and better built trenches showing the “we might be here awhile” plus the dugout with bunks
Correct. The British and French wanted an offensive outlook always where the Germans knew to engineer their existence and come out of their bunkers only when the artillery stopped firing.I believe that the Allies also rotated their soldiers at the front more often so that they didn't crack in the dank, dreary, inhuman life in the trenches.
there is a really good documentary series from the BBC called "The Somme - From Both Sides of the Wire", in which historian Peter Barton explains the difference in tactics between the allied and central powers... I think this is a pretty accurate portrayal of the difference between the trench systems and I'm glad that the producers of the movie took so much care in making this film true to history... ((also, I shat myself when that mine went off...))
Oh yes I noticed that too! The German trenches were more organized and had that zig zag structure, while the British was mostly a straight line with some paths but that was all.
Yeah, I think it hit me at the song moment that the entire thing had kinda just been a blur because it was such a long journey that was none stop. Such an incredible achievement of film making
Anthony The scene that got me was after Schofield finally met up with Blake’s brother when he reached the attacking group. When Blake’s brother was so excited to see Blake again before realizing he was gone, but he thanked Schofield and was trying so hard to stay strong for his men and not cry
"And I can't help but wonder, oh Willie McBride, do all those who lie here know why they died? Did you really believe them when they told you the cause? Did you really believe that this war would end wars? Well, the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame, the killing and dying, it was all done in vain Oh Willie McBride, it all happened again And again, and again, and again, and again"
One of my favorite scenes was when they were crossing the abandoned farm, and they see cherry trees cut down. It is a nice scene where they discuss how war destroys, but after the war, there will be even more beauty/life. We see that motive again later on, when Schofield is floating on the river, and he sees beautiful cherry leafs, and then a lot of dead bodies (I apologize for my grammar).
The war to end all wars yet ww2 starts like 2 decades later pretty sad these ww1 guys are slowly being forgotten about even civil war 1800s are being slowly forgotten
In America that is sadly true in the case of WWI and the Korean conflict. I believe in the UK (and other Commonwealth countries) this is not the case yet although as the world turns and years slip by it is more and more likely that it will happen. This is probably why history repeats.
Ron D And even the civil war. Despite it being 160 years ago, it still shapes the US and it’s problems today. And yet nobody wants to understand what actually caused the war.
The thing that hit me the most with this film is how dehumanised the soldiers became, like machines. Anything that didn't immediately slow them down was something they had to worry about later be it a cut getting infected, a serious concussion, no sleep for 2 days or your friend dying in your arms. He couldn't afford to stop
As a former soldier and as a history buff I felt a real connection to those two characters and the gravitas of the situation that they where placed into. I can see in his eyes every time he felt like quitting but was pulled on by that deep down inside that won't let you let down the people counting on you. And this movie did an excellent job of showing the brutality and horrors of war
this movie was so immersive that during the main death scene i felt sick and had to walk out - sweating bullets, couldn’t hear, felt woozy - watching the process of someone dying on screen really got me in the gut
Man that was an awesome movie...a little like saving private Ryan but ending was totally worth it... Best movie of 2019 alongside joker and Ford v Ferrari... Loved it .....
Marcos Lopez Yes it is...the characters were “chosen” to save their sibling/their group. I legit thought it was like SPR in WW1 when the trailers first dropped...
It was wonderfully done because I thought the exact thing that it would be like Saving Private Ryan but any thoughts like that were stamped out after Blake got poked by the German pilot
As a father to two young daughters, that ending caught me completely by surprise and had me in tears. I was putting myself in Schofield's shoes the whole movie and then that ending just did me in. Such a good movie
Didn't Scofield tell Blake that he didn't want to go back home? My theory is his wife and kids are gone and he sat by the tree to die after reading "Come back to us". Remember he avoided answering the French lady's question "Do you have kids?"
Yeah so I took that as proof that the war just makes you cut yourself off emotionally. Everyone is having to act outwardly the opposite to how they are on the inside. For example when Blake’s brother learns of his death he clearly wants to break down but he doesn’t. The moment at the end when Schofield looks at the picture is his real moment of showing what he’s really thinking and feeling.
You know, some movies impress me, some others make me laugh, a few select others make me cry... Well, this film made me sweat. A lot *SPOILERS* I realized how disgustingly hot I felt during one of the last scenes, when Will decides he's going to run outside the trenches to get to the soldier he's looking for, risking his life by exposing himself to enemy fire and artillery. I wanted to take my hoodie off. And, just at that point, I started to recall all the journey he goes through: how, in a matter of about 15 hours, he goes from a rather safe spot in the trenches to right the frontline, he loses a close friend, he probably saves the life of a woman and a child, he ends up losing almost all his equipment, all his food, weapons and ammo... And on that last sequence, he says to himself "I'm fucking getting to the end", and delivers one of the most epic runs I've ever witnessed in a film. It's not that scene alone, is how we realize there hasn't been a moment to stop, around a campfire, the only moment he actually pauses is when he gets knocked out, just to get right back up when he wakes up. It's exhausting to be an spectator of this movie, and I absolutely loved that. It made me feel like I was there, as a soldier, and had to watch my best battle buddy suffer with pure impotence. That's simply genius. What a movie. What a fucking movie.
I had NO interest in seeing this film, and then I found out it was supposed to seem like one long take (I’m a sucker for long takes) so I HAD to see this, and I was not disappointed.
Complex Matt I’m just curious what made you have no interest in seeing the film? I’m just curious because personally for me I was waiting for months for the movie. Lol
GetRoasted I mean it just seemed like Saving Private Ryan in WW1, and if it was cut normally the film would’ve just lost a lot of quality for me. The acting wasn’t amazing, the storyline kinda meh, only good quality is the cinematography, so take that out and It just probably goes to a C for me.
I think the acting is perfect for this movie, also for me... It seem real and natural, like how non dramatic and plain it was. Just like a real life should be. But you still can feel the deep emotion the character have in this movie. And for the story, well this story is about a journey a soldier who get a mission to be a message courier. You can't expect much action and drama here... But it get me a clips about how horrific and brutal a world war is, and how a good men can die pointless and forgotten so easily... That, what make this movie perfect!
I had no idea I was seeing this film, had never heard of it then one December evening a friend called me up saying, "Hey dude my mom doesn't want to go see a movie with my family so we got an extra ticket, you interested?" and I said sure and that was the best sudden decision I had taken. Took my gf to see it a couple of months later in March and she loved it and had a curious but interested look through most of it. Left us both constantly on edge for the movie after the tripwire scene though which was fun
The most powerful moment for me was the end. All the trouble he went through, only to realized that it will only stop for a moment or day before headquarter will order the Colonel to send his men over the trench again in the morning, the day after, next week or next month. All that matter is the amount of lives they expend for inches at a time. (not sure of the exact quote)
I just came back from seeing this movie. I am a Reservist infantryman with the Canadian Armed Forces. I broke down in tears on my way home from this film. This is easily one of the best war films I have ever seen. Despite the fact that the events of this war happened over 100 years ago, a lot of things in this film reminded me of my experiences during my training. The only things that have really changed are the equipment and tactics. Nobody should have to be forced to go through the horrors of war.
I have an old photo-postcard of a great-uncle who fought in the first World War. On the front of the card is a picture of Toby in his uniform. On the back, addressed to his mother, it says 'I'm the boy who's going to get the Kaiser!'. From what my mother has told me, he never came home.
@@heavyspoilers Thank you, so much, for responding. That old photo-postcard is the primary reason I'm looking forward to this film (and movies or television concerning that terrible war, in general). Add in Roger Deakins' cinematography, and I'm there. :)
If he's British you may be able to find out a lot more about him. It helps to know his regiment if he has a common name. You can search Ancestry-co-uk to find his Medal Index Card (MIC) that will tell you what his regiment and battalion was and his medal entitlement, whether dead or alive. If you can get that info you can then search the National Archives for his battalion diary which will give you an idea of what he was doing and where he was when he was killed. The CWGC website will tell you where he is buried or where he is commemorated if he was lost.
@@curiousworld7912 Even better if you know the names of his parents and/or siblings, that will certainly help narrow him down if his name is a common one. Ask around the family too, see if anyone has momentos of his, if you find his paybook or even his dog tags then finding what he did will be a lot easier as both should have at least part of his service number on them. Another tip is to take a close look at the insignia on his uniform, cap badge, shoulder patches, that sort of thing. There are three main ways to determine regiment. First is the cap badge which was the full regimental badge, second are the buttons which are stamped with the regimental badge, and last is the shoulder flash, usually brass on the end of the shoulder flap. This is usually just the abbreviation of the regiments name, as shown on the picture linked below. It is usually extremely difficult to determine the regiment of non officers in the field after 1916 because of the steel helmets, details of the buttons are not usually clear. However, it sounds like this was a portrait photograph taken before he went to war, so he is probably wearing his cap. www.history-making.com/shop/basic-british-uniform-1914-1918/ wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/badgeindex.php www.mycollectors.co.uk/content/cap-Badges/Army-Cap-Badges.aspx Those sites may help you, they are not exhaustive, but could give you at least the Regiment.
Peter Jackson set up an immersive trench display in Wellington nz which included smell etc. Was a amazing and disturbing experience. They even mentioned how the fat of the dead above the trenches would sometimes drip down and at that moment a dip of water would hit someone. Scared the shit out of them.
I was fortunate enough to see this movie on opening night for us in Canada. What an amazing journey!! You truly get a sense of the scale of the battlefield and the distance they needed to travel in order to deliver the message. The cinematography and music were spot on. I really felt like I was walking alongside them as they journeyed across no man's land. Without a doubt, a must-see!!
I loved this film. I do wonder though, why is it whenever a character shows mercy to another, the other tries to hurt the merciful one? I see the characters as strong for showing mercy to an enemy, but it always seems to complicate things more for them.
Because that is how situations in dangerous environments play out. If you let your guard down for a split second, you can get gutted, even by a person that you were intent on assisting. It’s not complicated. You have to avoid being naive. Don’t put yourself in those situations.
Well there are many layers to it imo. It shows that sometimes doing good in war will not pay off, and that sometimes good men die. Doing good sometimes isn't the easy choice. I don't think they were trying to show Mercy as a naive action, but to be cautious, or ready for anything.
@@Royalmerc Except Mercy is naïve in a combat zone. There is no benefit to letting an enemy combatant survive. Doing "good" was the foolish choice and the character paid for it.
@@citizenphaid I know that there were obviously cuts. Anytime the screen is fully obscured there's a cut. But I mean that the movie actually, obviously cuts to black. Like there's one cut that's not disguised.
@@JorgeVillatoro not sure why people so naive to think that the movie is trying to fool you, is obviously cut but the way the movie is assemble to resemble one continuous shot the story itself doesn't get cut, the camera doesnt randomly switch angles everything is 1 single long shot stitched together. Is not supposed to be 2 hours of 1 camera roll. That would be innecificient and practically impossible.
This was one of the best films I have seen in years. They build tension from the moment they take their first steps and do not release that tension until the end. It leaves you physically tired by the end.
I really enjoyed the movie. The way it was filmed was stunning. Probably a movie you need to watch a few times to catch all the little nuances and messages. Very well done.
I was born in Argentina but for the last 41 years I have lived in Australia so the aftermath of WW1 is all around me. I am greatful for the sacrifice of so many men and women that suffered so much in order to give us a better future. I will be watching this movie this coming week and report back on your take of the movie.
If you ever get a chance, go to the national war memorial in canberra. It has a wall with the name of every australian killed in every conflict. The wall for WWI is enormous. So so many lives were lost.
ugh...the ending....THE MUSIC. The sun, the tree. And dear God when I saw "come back to us" just started crying. It was the perfect end. I can't stop listening to that end track.
Apart from the perpendicular trench run scene, one of my favorite scenes was in the truck after Blake died. While the soldiers were conversing, Scofield sat with a blank face.
I really am sick and tired of people criticising the missed shots in this movie. How many of those criticising have ever held an iron-sight rifle in darkness and attempted to align the two sights to make an aimed shot? There's a reason we developed optics for night and low-light engagements. Add into that the hip-firing, and the fact we know absolutely nothing about the mental state of those involved. The German in the building - was he exhausted? Already wounded? Scared? Look at how the soldier holds his rifle when they first enter the German trench, he is shaking visibly with fear/adrenaline. Do you think his shot would be particularly accurate in that state - even when there's perfect lighting and visibility? Now throw in pitch darkness. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the depiction of rifles in this movie.
Missing shots is normal under pressure with a single shot rifle for most people. However the characters lacked tactics like wide peaking a doorway after they shot a soldier. They were little things.
CommandoDude If your watch it again and look at the German in the background you’ll realise he is drunk as he’s stumbling and if I recall correctly talking to himself.
@@nadeking4825 um er it was 1917. They hadn't used tanks before that conflit, why do you think they would know anything about tactical movement and clearance. They hadn't even begun to use field hand signals until after WW2, regardless of the bullshittery used in SPR.. WW1 tactics was pushing man over the parapet and advancing onto the enemy and hoping you had more men than they had bullets.
What was very subtle but there was the interaction between Schofield and Blake Blake was the wide eyed and determined young recruit who’s not yet beaten down but war compared to Schofield who’s been there for a while and has seen and done it all
Gem Games lmao for me the trip wire scene scared the living shit out of me but when a shot came from nowhere when he was crossing the river, I barely reacted 😂
There'd be food on the table, all their kids would survive childhood and get an education, they wouldn't be forced by their government to rot in a trench until sentenced to their death when they are commanded to charge at machine guns. Joking about all these boys dying for no reason to make fun of today is disrespectful for those poor soliders who suffered and died
I think one particular shot that stuck with me was Schofield arriving at Acouste and staring in awe at the burning church, only to see a silhouette of the enemy slowly appear and then start charging at him. This movie was simply breathtaking and didn’t let up in its tenseness. Fantastic work of art.
Just saw this I was left speechless and breathless by the end. This is one of the most powerful relentless cinematic pieces of storytelling I have seen.. An absolute MASTETPIECE!! 10/10
Just saw it a few minutes ago. Your review is perfect. The people who made "The Rise of Skywalker" would be ashamed of themselves if they saw this movie. (actually I was told that many on the "crew" of "Skywalker" also were the crew for this movie. I'll bet I know which movie they are most proud of).
The crew of tros didn't decide ehat the movie entailed, it was beautifully shot, and beautifully made with incredible cgi and interesting cuts, and choreography, however, the main actions and everything that the movie entails was decided by the terrible, terrible writers and directorz.
I saw TRoS as well (in fact, that and 1917 are the only movies I have watched at the cinema for many months). I certainly liked TRoS, however it is not on the level of "One of the greatest films I have ever seen" which 1917 certainly is.
When blake was dying and Schofield was just trying to tell him it's going to be okay that got me. The way blake insisted Schofield to keep talking to him and then he dies was so overwhelming. Then when the other soldiers came and the music they played over that scene hurt so much I cried especially when he was in the truck thinking about it. I just remembered my own bestfriend dying in my arms and me not having the time to even mourn him
Where do you think Mordor came from? Tolkien was a WWI veteran himself. Mordor and Frodo's inner struggle are inspired by his own PTSD. So, yeah you're not far off the mark at all!
I've seen the movie twice in the past month -- once by myself and the second time with my parents. It's a masterpiece, incredible character study, and one of the greatest and most beautifully done films I've ever seen. I felt almost as though I'd been through a war too! Can't say enough about this movie and actor George Mackay.
My great uncle on my father's side was a doughboy in WWI. When I knew him as a very young child when we visited him and my grandfather at the family farm, he was alcoholic. I have feeling that his experience in France may have led him down that sad path. This movie was an amazing recreation of one of the most horrific wars ever waged and the courage of those soldiers who fought it.
I absolutely love this film, so happy I shared this incredible cinematic experience with my son, it completely raises the bar. It was such a privilege to see it on the big screen. Go and see it.
I love that scene after he falls from the waterfall. Because in writing water represents rebirth, and white represents purity. He floats across as white flowers fall down. He gets out crying which in my opinion adds to the rebirth aspect. And babies are pure. But we see him reborn, a new person, someone who finally took in everything he experienced. A new man with new experiences. We see him crawl than walk. He doesn't make complete sentences then does. I think that scene had so much packed into it. It's honestly the best single scene I've seen in a long while. So short. But so much to deconstruct and see. Of course these are just my opinions.
@@commander_eaa2862 I also think that's symbolism because it shows the old him is dead and he is reborn as a new man. Maybe is the college english classes making look into things like that but it's fun.
This film was like visual poetry on screen. So elegantly and gorgeously shot and probably the most emotional war movie I've ever seen. Can't even put some of those scenes into words! 😀😀😀
Saw the movie today, so amazing, it's an experience. It's one of the best looking films I've seen in a long while, the one continuous shot feature of this movie adds to this. I'd love to see this in 3d if that was an option, would be amazing.
Yeah that would be incredible, at points it feels like you’re another soldier on the mission with them just seeing things through your POV it’s so well made
The small moments with the other soldiers and officers really added some punching power to this film. When they hear his cry to push the vehicle out of the ditch and give it everything they have to help him. You can really sense their camaraderie. Tremendous film.
I know it's been said before, this movie must be seen on the big screen. Hard to pick one particular scene, but the scene to black, immediately following the showdown with the German soldier in the tower, was very powerful. I didn't breath until we came out of that blackout.
Excellent video review. Your personal ties to the war through family certainly gives you added insight. I was especially taken by your thoughts on "no time to process" with regards to the trauma that Scofield experienced. As a physician, I have frequently been called on to give patients and family bad news. It is always a difficult experience, and I often need to "revisit" (re-explain) almost everything later on as they usually are unable to process what is happening. Fears and anxieties come on gradually after the news, not right when it is delivered. In war and life traumas, this is at the heart of PTSD, "post-traumatic stress" can, at times, be worse than the trauma itself. For WWI veterans, I believe it was called "shell-shocked" Once again, great video with excellent insights which go beyond a typical movie review. Thank you!
I just have returned from watching this in IMAX. Just wanted to say what an amazing film. It kept me riveted all the way through. I would highly recommend.
I saw this movie in the first film on the first day here where I live. I absolutely loved this movie. I loved the fact that it was stayed with the main characters throughout the whole movie. You did a great job pointing out what occurred throughout the movie.
Aside from the review that I completely agree with, I thought it was a nice touch to specially mention your great grandfather.. mine was a rear gunner in the RAF 💓
Ah amazing, it’s crazy how many people’s relatives were involved in it, you don’t really appreciate what they went through till you see it in films like this. Thanks for checking out the video and leaving a comment.
loved the scene that was a cross section of the front line, from the green fields on the Belgium side, then into the allied trenches through to the mud and barbwire of no man's land, then into the german trenches and further along, their supply lines and heavy artillery and finally into the green fields of the conquered countryside. It was an eye opening, fast paced sequence.
I have been wounded twice, literally blown off my feet three times (two RPGs, one rocket) had a grenade blow-up right next to my helmet (steel pot days), and that trip wire scene was probably the most authentic movie explosion I have ever seen/felt (I watched the movie in one of those theatres with all of the surround sound and special effects chairs...
The humanity in this film was devastating. Momentary kindnesses in such adversity that made such differences, good and bad to the people in this film. So many stories that were on screen for seconds and then they were gone. Allowing the rat to live which ultimately cost Blake his life, because if Scho hadn't been injured they would have missed the plane crash. The lift in the back of the truck, if he had walked on foot it would have been nightfall and he wouldn't have been able to cross the river as safely as he did. The nip of alcohol that was the only sustenance he had for the whole journey. The Sergeant's advice about having an audience. The way the woman tended his wounds with what little she had. The sacrifice of his rations for the benefit of the woman and child. Singing the Jumblies to a baby who most likely would not see morning, much like he must have done to his own daughters. The final song of the soldier as the young lads sit waiting to die. The fact strangers picked up this clearly traumatised soldier and would look after him despite the adversity they are facing. The officer turning to him and saying 'well done, lad' after his efforts had gone completely ignored. He had clearly been through hell, risked his life but he was told to fuck off. Keeping Blake's rings for his brother. The way he turned back knowing how upset his brother was. 'Come home to us.' War is hell. But not even war can destroy the smallest acts of love and kindness that humans are capable of.
Mentioned in the video that my Great Grandfather was a Sergeant Major in WW1. My Great Grandmother dug out some old photos of him that can be seen at - instagram.com/p/B7eUKEbgbk1/
Heavy Spoilers you spoiled the ending, but I can’t believe the ending....
The Allies Won WW1 wow, mind BLOWN
Heavy Spoilers one of the few movies I’m definitely planning on purchasing on blu ray. Going back this weekend to watch it in RPX, only saw it in standard. A very enjoyable and entertaining ride.
It shook both me and my friend, we went completely numb, we both were close to tears and i was holding back from cheering him on
Great movie
Best film I have seen in quite some time.
The scene where Schofield cried after crawling (over the dead bodies) out of the river is the scene that stuck with me. He’s human. Not some stoic Bond or Jason Bourne or some glib quipping ‘superhero.’ I felt his emotional and physical exhaustion.
I second this
Best portrayal of a real hero. Marvel Comics can't capture the soul of a real hero.
@@wolverinesfight1213 i would really love if they tried something like that in their movies
Wolverines Fight I know, it’s why I hate marvel comics. Super heroes aren’t real heroes.
also when he seats in the car after car stuck with other young soldiers after his friend gone, so heartbroken , he plays it so good/
it was very emotional to see schofield in that truck looking at the little yard where blake was killed getting further and further, with everyone around him telling jokes
waterwyz the music at this scene is called “a bit of tin” and it’s absolutely beautiful, I cried during this scene
waterwyz
Yes I really lost it at that one
His scream when they were pushing the truck out of the mud... that got me
I kept it together until he met his brother. Then the moment caught up to me.
waterwyz Yes, very realistic... in all aspects.
This movie had better jump scares then 99% of horror movies and they aren't really meant to be. When a explosion goes off at one point all of my friends and I jumped in our seats. You know it was coming I was even prepared but the sound design and shot get you. I saw it in IMAX and it really helped show the quite vs loud moments in war.
Too bad the trailers kinda ruined a lot of the suspense the movie has.
Lol yeah the trip wire but was nuts. Thanks for checking out the video
I knew nothing about this move coming in and Blake's death hit me really hard, and the strangulation scene is the most horrific thing in the movie with no jump scares
Dylan Crosson blakes death was so tragic because he was trying to help the german pilot, who ended up killing him
@@danielmatthews5759 dude plus showing it from the perspective of trying to get water Blake was insisting he drink, it was presented in such an empathetic yet horrifying way, kinda the thesis of the movie
stupid rats
It really stuck with me how in the end, the Commander just told him to screw off after delivering the message. We had just seen this insane course of events through bombs, gunfires, crashes, and more to deliver this message, and he just shrugs it off as nothing. It shows how quickly things moved in war, and how there are likely thousands of stories like Schofield/Blake's that haven't been told.
Just like Haig cared nothing for his soldiers
@@benjamingranby5269 That's an untrue myth I'm afraid. The 'Lions lead by Donkeys" myth has been discredited many times and was even made up in the first place.
I thought his speech was excellent aswell, that he initially seems like a bloodthirsty commander who just wants battle but then reveals that the only way the war will end is by 'last man standing'. He wants it to finish just as much as everyone else
Finn Walker It also shows how reckless he was with human life though. He was willing to send all of his men to fight for the sole purpose of being the last left on the battlefield. It’s unsettling how lightly he acts toward this notion
I too was gutted by the final commanders dismissal of him, after all he went through to get there (and of course the commander didn't know, but still). However the other captain by the doorway thanked him for what he did and for bringing the message.
That moment when the soldier tells him he won't make it and he gives that pause, and says yes, I will... I felt that, and I believed him
Yeah, so well acted, there’s so much subtext to every line. Thanks for leaving a comment
Can you imagine that ? Blake wanted to be compassionate and he payed the price for it 😞 War is hell
It reminds me of that line in endgame where Captain America said we have to succeed cuz I don't know what we'll do if we don't
The corprals didn't have a choice they had to complete their mission if they didn't 1600 men die not acceptable
@@MM-qi5mk did you realize that he didn't bother to tell the other British soldiers exactly what happened they wouldn't have understood trying to show compassion to the enemy
@@magicpyroninja , good catch! his brother was told it was quick and wasnt alone. He never mentioned a German stabbing him while he was trying to help him
WAR IS HELL
The scene that caught me off guard was when Blake asks Schofield: “Am I dying?” And he answered: “Yes, I think you are”. I was expecting the usual “you are gonna be ok”, but the sincerity of Schofield at that moment was really moving. To some extent it gave Blake the opportunity to put his affirs in order, something many can´t have in a battlefield.
He's watched a million men at somme
I went through something similar with my buddy back in 2008, we worked on him for over five hours (btw myself who initially got to him, two advanced medics, the medics on the evac helo, and docs at Ibn Sina, but eventually he (and I knew) that he wasn't going to make it, I held his hand while he expired; it was not a very pleasant experience.
And he held blake in his arms as he died with blood on his hands and spoke to him to quell his fear that he undoubtedly felt (despite his stoic statement "tell my mother I wasn't scared")
@@XanthusBarnabas I'm sorry for your loss, my brother in arms. Be well.
@@mudd7779 Glad someone noticed that, one line in the film establishes his hesitation to go over no man's land and the director's knowledge of WW1 was appreciated.
This movie captivated me in nonstop motion. A lot of people criticized the lack of depth for the characters but I couldn’t disagree more. Like you said, no one had time to mourn and this is often the pace of war I’ve seen first hand. You don’t have time to grieve, you have to pick up and keep moving without looking back and this film depicted that hell, nightmarish reality with such careful detail. This film was incredible
Yeah it was crazy seeing The Ebert Review say there was no humanity to it, I thought the complete opposite, this is actually what people are like, closed off and not breaking into monologues every 20 minutes. Thought it was incredible and glad you liked it too
Agree at times I felt emotional , then the film puts you in the characters position .Survival was paramount
The way you wrote the first sentence, you were in non-stop motion, not the film.
Cinematography was incredible story was lame. Can’t you just give them a message with a pigeon or something?
D. F. Even the depth of filed was shallow what else do you want
Spoilers:
I like how the movie shift his hero's perspective from Blake to Schofield in the middle of the story and as an audience we don't have time for mourning either but have to accept the fact that during war life or death are simply accidental...
I honestly thought Blake would be saved whem the soldiers arrived. Nope. Blake wasn't even buried.
That one caught me offgaurd it thought Blake was the main protagonist
M. Young that is so right
I remember continuously asking myself "wait he's actually dead?"
There's a subtle camera shift that foreshadows the change in narrative. Up until the farmhouse the camera followed Blake. When they split up to enter the house the camera switched to follow Schofield.
Kevin Kluck I was the only one of my family to notice that. I had fun telling them afterwards :P I absolutely love the subtlety of it. It didn’t shout out at you, and yet I _felt_ something shift beneath the surface as it happened, even if it took until Blake hit the ground for it to hit me.
_God_ this film is amazing, I love it so much!
The movie was incredible. I was in the theatre completely captivated.
Yeah such a great cinematic experience, really hope people go out and see this. Thanks for checking out the video.
Heavy Spoilers for sure man!! Great explanation of the film.
Agree A MUST see
same here!
wayne gamble 🔥
I was an extra on the film, I can't help but laugh at the final shot at the tree. About 100 extras used that tree to piss on as the toilets were so far away. We had no idea that the ending would take place with the main actor sitting under it!
HAHAHAHA HAHA XDDDD
That just adds to the authenticity lol, cause soldiers would have been doing the same thing 😂
Oof
Circle of life!
That's a war story in itself haha
I SWEAR I thought the guy with the wound on the hand would get an infection and die in the movie.. his friend dies instead 😤💀..
Hahah my wife thought that too, didn’t even pick it up so glad other people did
@@heavyspoilers especially when his wounded hand WENT IN THE CARCASS of the dead soldier 💀💀💀..
I thought that was forsure going to be a factor and it never came. Wonder why they did that. They paid too much attention to it for it to have no purpose
M M I mean maybe that's the point.. an infection would take more than a day to show up and kill him. Infections are what killed many many soldiers in WW1.
After surviving all those near-death moments, all the ups and downs, and saving hundreds of men, in theory, he most likely did die to a painful infection later on. That one small moment, so early on in the movie, is what brought our hero down.
Fuck, this movie was so good.
@@MM-qi5mk I wouldn't say it served no purpose. For one it shows just how dangerous EVERYTHING is on the battlefield. And secondly, we can probly assume that the wound will cause problems "after" the movie's runtime.
Blake seems like more of a innocent boy caught in the conflict, like when he helps the enemy pilot and Schofield seems like the veteran solider who knows what he's doing, in one part it talks about how he was in the Somme which was the bloodiest battle in British military history.
Ryan Yoder thousands of welsh miners lost
Yeah. It really hit hard that he wasn't proud of being at the Somme and sold his medal for wine because he wanted to forget it.
Talks about how they should have shot the rat that set off the trip mine when they had a chance, leaving schofield with the same thought.. should’ve shot that pilot when he had the chance..
Over a million people died the Somme on both sides
The movie ending with Schofield resting makes you think about what he faced before he laid down to rest at the beginning of the movie.
That one long shot of no man's land, I have never felt so uncomfortable about a landscape before
bigblackjay900 that area is called the zone rouge and it is off limits to humans to this day, unexploaded ordnance, and toxic chemicals like mercury and arsenic from the chemical warfare.
@@jeffreyanderson1851 holy shit kinda makes me wanna go back in time and see in person
While taking a barf bag and have a therapist waiting for me
Them going over the top for the first time was really dramatic. I knew that they were going to make it but the fear of advancing into the unknown was real.
@@bengale9977 lol as soon as I saw the muddy craters, grey sky, and dead bodies I wanted them to get out as soon as possible BUT I enjoyed the fuck out of that scene
So how did they drive a convoy of trucks through it? Movie.
When he asked if he was dying and he said yes that I took hard he did not lie to him he just needed to except it
And the movie is so masterful, you saw the blood draining from his face and you knew he was going to die. The technical accomplishment of making a character bleed out without obvious cut shots (to reapply makeup, etc) is as astonishing as the flare over the village was terrifying.
That's not your interpretation, captain obvious, if there was ever a scene that literally HITS YOU OVER THE HEAD with it's obviousness, it's that one. Great job. You're a f**king poet.
This is why Hollywood couldn't make this movie. They would have had Schofield's character give some heroic monologue to Blake about how he'll live and go home and by Christmas, he'll be with his sweetheart bullshit, which would then be followed by some overly dramatic scene where Schofiled pledges never to rest until every German is dead.
My husband cried at the scene where Blake's asking that question.
he died wrong, bad acting
It truly shows you the horror of war and how brave these men had to be
Yeah exactly, incredible they went through that sort of thing every day
They had no other choice.
All not even men yet. Children being forged in fire.
@@heavyspoilers Eh, not really. The movie goes to great lengths to show just how much downtime there is in war in-between the moments of horror by implication.
@@darthteej1 There wasn't any real downtime when everyone was traumatized though.
The tripwire scene scared the crap out of me lol
It was so brilliant! By the time I processed the possible outcome, it had already happened.
Jacqueline Ann I want to watch it again, it was truly a spectacular film!
Yes - bad luck they finding it but a rat tripping it.
That damn rat
Just drop the LOL
It’s such a definitive ending, but the title of the movie itself is a huge cold bucket of water.
“1917”.
There’s another year of this to go.
Even longer, since its set realtively early in 1917.
The Serious Strategy Gamer Yeh, in the first moments of the movie you get told that it's the 6th of april 1917. So more than one and a half years still to go
Man I didn’t even think about that
*America has joined the party
Not to mention his wife wrote on the back of that photo "come back to us" he still has another year to deal with the horrors of war. But that ending kind of got to me. I left the theater crying on the inside and speechless.
Interesting analysis. I agree with your conclusion that the ending of the movie was perfect, but I interpreted the significance of the final scene totally differently: Schofield wasn't fighting for his family back home, but for his comrade, Blake. Watching Schofield pull out the photographs of his family in the final scene was so powerful, not because he was fighting for his loved ones back home, but because he was forced to literally and figuratively compartmentalize them to fight for his fallen brother in arms. To me, the ending signified that the bonds of brotherhood forged in combat can be stronger than actual family.
Think about the motivations Blake and Schofield had to successfully complete their mission: Blake risked his life to save his actual brother, while Schofield's wife and daughters, were back home. Schofield had every reason in the world to avoid danger to make it safely home to his family, but he went forward in the face of incredible danger because his figurative brother (Blake) was depending on him. The movie constantly juxtaposes the love of actual family with the love of one's brother in arms. For example, when Blake and Schofield are trapped in the collapsing bunker, Blake risks his life to save Schofield, even though, by doing so, he risked failing his mission to save his actual brother. Once Blake died, Schofield could have turned back, and nobody would have faulted him for failing. To an outside observer, any sane man trying to get back to his family would have turned back, but Schofield went on out of a sense of duty to Blake.
The movie reinforced his sense of duty by showcasing the two opposing mindsets any soldier must adopt in combat: realism and idealism. Schofield was a realist, while Blake was an idealist. For example, after they rescued the enemy aviator, Schofield thought they should execute him, while Blake wanted to give him water. Ultimately, Blake’s idealism lead to his own demise. As a realist, Schofield recognized the futility of his actions in the grand scheme of the war. What was the significance of saving a single battalion in a war where the British Army suffered over 50,000 casualties in a single day? The movie drove this point home when Schofield delivered his orders to the Colonel, who responded something to the effect of, “Today the orders are to stand down, next week they’ll be to attack at dawn. There’s only one way this war ends. Last man standing.” Even through Schofield accomplished his mission, it likely had no impact on the outcome of the war or the lives of the soldiers in that battalion because they’d just be going over the top again the next week. Schofield knew this, but pushed on anyways because he had a duty to Blake, and if he failed the mission, Blake ultimately would have been just another soldier who died for nothing in a senseless war.
While some critics faulted the movie for lack of character development, this is precisely what made the ending so powerful. We didn’t learn until the end of the movie that Schofield had a wife and kids because it was irrelevant until that very moment. Schofield was a man who had every reason to keep his head down and do his best to survive a pointless war to get to his family. Even though he literally carried his family with him in his pocket everywhere he went, he compartmentalized that essential part of him in a box and risked his life out of a sense of duty to his brother in arms. To me, the ending emphasizes that love conquers all things, and the most powerful love all is the love one has for his brothers in combat. It is without a doubt, the most powerful and perfect ending to a war movie I have ever seen.
Brandon Wilsey this analysis is PERFECT 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank u. I enjoyed reading your take on the movie
I think this is perfect! Because, you see that Schofield was so quick to sacrifice his food and goods for the young woman and the baby; he had it so rough just prior to that scene having lost Blake and nearly perishing himself, that he jumps at the opportunity to do something restorative in the face of the destruction. He wanted a piece of home; and I felt that he really desperately wanted to stay back with them as it was a reminder of home (we didn't know that he was a father or husband at the time; but that scene left me convinced). He left that room with much anguish, but he did it for his brother in arm Blake.
I actually interpret the whole thing has him abandoning his family as he mentioned something along the lines of "Once I knew I could get as far away as possible from them, I took the chance." around the beginning about the turkey (?).
And the ending he made him reconsider meeting his family due to Blake and the mother.
@@NoctsukeYukimura I actually interpret it differently too. Still enjoyed reading his take on it
They rehearsed scenes for 6 months... something unheard of in film today!
Yeah that’s crazy!
4 months
No it was 4 months
Joshua Szehner no it was 50 years you dumb fucks
Good movies are unheard of in Hollywood these days. Glad to see they didn't fuck this up.
Edit: my bad joker was good too.
George MacKay was brilliant in this movie. All of his emotions felt so genuine. The movie really does not work if they cast that role incorrectly.
He's an actor. Really Enjoyed his role in 11.22.63 aswell
I haven’t had sweaty palm, jaw drops, heart races and jumps like that in a movie before. I rode every bump. I wanna go and see it again. My favourite scene is the soldier singer, the way it comes instantly after the water chaos was just a stunning transition. 11/10.
That scene was nice BUT, if he hadn't stopped to listen, he would've made it in time to deliver the message and the first wave would've been saved!
C Comp holy shit I hadn’t thought of that 😂 what a fail!
@@davidd8881 He hadn't known if that was the right squadron until one of the soldiers mentioned it to him.
@@ccomp9727 He was also really tired / drowsy / worn out from having gone through all that recent horror of war. Super tiring fighting the current of a river etc. You'd probably become captivated by anything beautiful and lose concentration now and then when you get that rare chance to stop and think when resting etc.
"All quiet on the Western Front" is another fantastic film exploring that idea.
The whole river scene I found a bit odd, like he would just happen to arrive at exactly the location he needed. He also probably would have drowned in the river. However, that was not the point of these scenes - to be super realistic. More about telling the story and the human side of it all IMO.
As people have said, the sniper on the bridge would have got him, or one of the soldiers in the village if you'd been spotted and were running etc. most likely you'd be hit IMO. But it's more about him making his way through danger, risking his life for the greater good etc.
@@timjaysadler3097 Maybe not the soldiers in the village, most if not all of them had been drinking, that is not going to do much for your accuracy. Light levels were not good, lot of burning stuff around which means lots of stuttering patches of light and shadow, he is a moving target, hunkering low, taking advantage of what cover he can, makes him surprisingly difficult to hit, it is certainly conceivable that he could have made it. The sniper though, that is another matter, much harder to see how he missed.... .
When he's in the town looking at the burning building and notices the sillouetted soldier, you can see his hesitation and then fear as the unknown figure begins running at him and then you notice the bayonet on the end of the figure's rifle.. O.O You FELT all of those emotions.
It just underscores the uncertainty and 'fog' of war.
Nate R I felt that scene was the most heart racing for me. Not the deepest or the saddest in any means. But the unknown figure appearing out of the fire, then just hauling towards him got me sweating lol
I honestly thought it was an ally also...Id be dead
I would have used my weapon. Heavy odds are, they're the enemy. And the pilot I either would have let burn, or delivered a coups de grace. War is terrible. Your job is to survive.
The French woman wasn’t the baby’s mother. The woman didn’t even know who the mother was.
Perhaps she is supposed to symbolize Virgin Mary and the baby; Jesus. Would like to hear someone more well versed in religion to explain the usage of religious symbolism. There are so many times "Jesus" is shouted in the heat of battle leading to that scene, that it's probably not a coincidence.
She was tending to and mothering the baby. She was a mother--whether she was aware of it or not.
No she wasn't the mother but she intended to be, also I believe she wanted Schofield to be the daddy.
It was great how he gave them all the food and milk he had. Knowing he may face death, it was better for them to have it.
@@kirklynncentore532 I think she was scared to be alone with Germans around her.
I love how people say this movie is boring, bland and has no character development. The ending proofs so much how incredibly wrong they are
Yeah, it’s a perfect film. The one take helps keep your attention and it doesn’t feel like you get a real breath till he sits at the tree
When people say the characters have no depth I'm like no shit. This isn't a movie about two guys who just happened to be in a war. It's about the horrifying experience of WW1, and wars in general i suppose. That's the depth. The continuous shot way of filming makes it seem so real that i feel you're supposed to project yourself into the scenario on some level, and everyone is familiar with themselves so there's another form of depth.
I think it's because those people are desensitized towards seeing men going through hell. We treat it half the time as entertainment, and so the popcorn munchers who gush over something like A Marriage Story treat the hellscape of war as though it's just a backdrop to the character's story. Instead, it IS the story, and they don't realize it because it's not something they care about. Apparently, according to certain corners of Twitter, it's just another White Male story, which means they think it isn't worth telling. Hell, I've even seen reviews calling it soulless, or 'irresponsibly failing to confront nationalism in the era of Trump', etc. They can't see this movie as a story within itself of how awful this war was for the men who suffered in it, because they don't give much of a shit about those men to begin with.
If this were a movie about a woman doing the exact same thing as Schofield, those same critics would be gushing over how incredible her journey was.
@@danieljones8177 WHAT!!! WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE, WHAT DO THEY MEAN NO DEPTH!!!!!! I SPENT THE WHOLE MOVIE CRYING!!!! you can see it in their faces and yes the are stoic but they aren't new recruits exSpEshaly the main guy cus he's been through shit and seen some stuff so he isn't going to break down and then grown stronger. he's been there, done that and broken again. No, he doesn't have a fuking choice and has to keep going so he can save a shit tone of people and deliver on his promise to his dead friend ALSO I SAW MORE EMOTION IN THE LITTLE EXPRESSION AND PAUSES IN HIS FACE THEN IN SOME ENTIRE MOVIES!!!!!
Who is saying this? No reason, just my baseball bat wanted to know.
You don’t get quite the full understanding of the characters but you get the idea of their depth, which is just as good. You can also see that the one who makes it is completely broken by the end of it, and watching as that happens really gives you an idea of his character.
After seeing how bad of a shot the Germans were in this movie, I see why George Lucas called his bad guys stormtroopers
Looooooool
They were shooting hipfire while sprinting most of the time, also the point is that he is lucky enough to have survived everything to transfer the message
Hollywood =\= real life. Hip-firing while running with a rifle is much harder than you think. I’m more surprised that the Germans never bothered to stand still and aim properly.
@@wiskhansen6364 if they stopped to aim then he gets more distance between them. If they miss then he's gone
Schofield must have had a 20 round magazine in his Enfield!? Seriously at times one must accept a distortion of reality in order to enjoy the film.
Brilliant film, I thought Blake was the protagonist yet he's killed not even a quarter way through, there's no pat on the back in the end, there's no real happy ending just silence.
Spoilers eh
@@gorgefood9867 bruh, youre on a video talking about the ending of this movie and youre complaining about spoilers? Whatchu doing?
Except for the XO who tells him "Well done, lad."
The best movie I’ve seen in years.
Instant classic.
To bad it is a complete fabrication that is an insult to the boys who actually died in that conflict. Is resembles the most putrid and dangerous form of historical revisionism I have ever seen about this era.
Diggnuts you must be a blast at parties.
@@00ABBITT00 Most parties I frequent, the crowd is competent and knowledgable enough so movie gimmickry does not dismantle their notion of historical accuracy and realism.
In fact, at those parties it would be obvious to everybody that this plot is a slap in the face of every casualty of the arrogance, ineptitude and stubbornness displayed by the posh higher ups.
I would say that at those parties, were it ever mentioned, stupid historical revisionism like this dumb plot would have been dealt with in the first 5 minutes.
@@Diggnuts why?
@@johnmang2659 Why what?
When Schofield was told to make sure there were witnesses when he presented the letter because men are just in it for the action hit such a spot!!!
The whole experience made it for me feel like what it could have felt like being in war and having to learn to wrap my head around hard concepts and keep moving forward. All of the subtleness also came out and spoke loud volumes and I appreciated this film 100% and especially its cinematography.
Can you explain what he meant by that sentence?
@@kaamgirl101 I believe he meant that some men disobey just for havoc and that not everyone can be trusted to follow orders when they are in power. Not too sure but that's just what I got from it.
Jessica Yang ohhh I get it now! Thank you haha it makes much more sense now that you explained it
After that warning I expected Cumberbatch's character to be some battle crazy die hard or like Brando in Apocalypse Now. But fortunately they didn't go down that obvious route.
@@whos-the-stiff I was worried about that too, but I'm glad they subverted that expectation.
Was the ending scene of him sleeping on the tree a callback to the beginning of the movie?
More of a bookend than a callback, but that’s just technical lol
sipper a yeah just without Blake....
@@KeysAndDoorss that's deep
@@asadnyjfan9008 why would you be reading the comments about a movie you haven't even watched
Spoiler alert is just implied
Yes...yes it was. other parts of the film do the same thing if you know the way they often make films with journeys rhyme. I think I've heard Robocop is the most symmetrical but in this case from what I can tell already, walking through trenches at the end mirrors trenches at beginning, the angelic singing in the forest mirrors the hellish no mans land, the river seems to mirror the tomb trench thing etc
I love how brutally honest this movie takes war. You have Schofield and Blake leading the movie with Blake being assumed to reach the end. He was called up first and has the motivation to save his brother. You'd think he'd make it to the end and succeed, but war does not discriminate and literally anyone can be taken at any moment. It's a miracle Schofield makes it to the end and yet he was too late to call off the first wave resulting in the loss of many of those men.
This shows we need more Worl War I movies. With the advent of Iran today, this is a war that needs to be brought back. Because, world war II gets alot of the spotlight, but it is really a rare war where ethics and ideology was the center point.
World War I is a war based on what war is usually fought, land, resources, or politics. This needs to be brought back how quickly we can dehumanize each other and how quickly shit can get out of hand and a pointless war breaks out. World War I is a reminder that humans will fight with out ideology and ethics. World War I needs to be remembered, imho more so than World War II.
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 100% I feel like WWI has a lot more to say about man vs man and how ultimately it just ends in misery, really no one won that war, just lead to a lot of loss
@@heavyspoilers indeed, the hellish conditions and straight up reasons that war did really does as you said highlights the inhumanity of it.
To me best scene in the movie was the ghost town being lit up by illumination artillery. It really looked like a hellscape, I got chills from it. And a friend who was in Iraq said it captured the hellish nature of war in a single instance.
Jarred Emanuel incredibly well written comment 👏🏻 I take my hat off to you.
I love if WWII take one shot like 1917
@@heavyspoilers
It lead straight to WWII.
I just saw it and I definitely felt that “no time to take it in” thing, and I think my favorite thing was the trenches itself, showing a contrast between the makeshift British trenches which shows the mindset of “we will be moving soon anyways no time to build” and the German concrete and better built trenches showing the “we might be here awhile” plus the dugout with bunks
Correct. The British and French wanted an offensive outlook always where the Germans knew to engineer their existence and come out of their bunkers only when the artillery stopped firing.I believe that the Allies also rotated their soldiers at the front more often so that they didn't crack in the dank, dreary, inhuman life in the trenches.
there is a really good documentary series from the BBC called "The Somme - From Both Sides of the Wire", in which historian Peter Barton explains the difference in tactics between the allied and central powers... I think this is a pretty accurate portrayal of the difference between the trench systems and I'm glad that the producers of the movie took so much care in making this film true to history... ((also, I shat myself when that mine went off...))
Oh yes I noticed that too! The German trenches were more organized and had that zig zag structure, while the British was mostly a straight line with some paths but that was all.
@@naite0000 Blakes amazement in the Germans having springy, comfortable beds...the details! The details!
I feel like I’m still watching the movie that camera work just absorbs you and doesn’t let go so when the movie ends you’re like but wait I’m not done
Yeah, I think it hit me at the song moment that the entire thing had kinda just been a blur because it was such a long journey that was none stop. Such an incredible achievement of film making
Heavy Spoilers 🎶 I’m going there to see my Father. I’m going there no more to roam. 🎶
I love this movie...
same felt like it was only half an hour long however its the best movie ive ever seen
When he looked back at the farmhouse and he was leaving his friend on the ground got me.
Anthony The scene that got me was after Schofield finally met up with Blake’s brother when he reached the attacking group. When Blake’s brother was so excited to see Blake again before realizing he was gone, but he thanked Schofield and was trying so hard to stay strong for his men and not cry
HEAVY SPOILERS:
This war did not end all wars.
Sabaton reference
Yep and guess what?
WW3 is coming soon
"And I can't help but wonder, oh Willie McBride, do all those who lie here know why they died?
Did you really believe them when they told you the cause? Did you really believe that this war would end wars?
Well, the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame, the killing and dying, it was all done in vain
Oh Willie McBride, it all happened again
And again, and again, and again, and again"
One of my favorite scenes was when they were crossing the abandoned farm, and they see cherry trees cut down. It is a nice scene where they discuss how war destroys, but after the war, there will be even more beauty/life. We see that motive again later on, when Schofield is floating on the river, and he sees beautiful cherry leafs, and then a lot of dead bodies (I apologize for my grammar).
I loved that too and it is in contrast to the embers falling as Blake is dying.
The war to end all wars yet ww2 starts like 2 decades later pretty sad these ww1 guys are slowly being forgotten about even civil war 1800s are being slowly forgotten
So true
In America that is sadly true in the case of WWI and the Korean conflict. I believe in the UK (and other Commonwealth countries) this is not the case yet although as the world turns and years slip by it is more and more likely that it will happen. This is probably why history repeats.
Ron D And even the civil war. Despite it being 160 years ago, it still shapes the US and it’s problems today. And yet nobody wants to understand what actually caused the war.
Not really; America has such a poor educational system that it isn't being taught. You can't forget what you never learned.
Ingrid Dubbel it is. lmao what
The thing that hit me the most with this film is how dehumanised the soldiers became, like machines. Anything that didn't immediately slow them down was something they had to worry about later be it a cut getting infected, a serious concussion, no sleep for 2 days or your friend dying in your arms. He couldn't afford to stop
1917 is Definitely worth seeing in the theater. It’s such a great example of how technique matters to telling a story.
I saw it in IMAX, incredible...
As a former soldier and as a history buff I felt a real connection to those two characters and the gravitas of the situation that they where placed into.
I can see in his eyes every time he felt like quitting but was pulled on by that deep down inside that won't let you let down the people counting on you.
And this movie did an excellent job of showing the brutality and horrors of war
this movie was so immersive that during the main death scene i felt sick and had to walk out - sweating bullets, couldn’t hear, felt woozy - watching the process of someone dying on screen really got me in the gut
it felt so so long
Umm
hattic LOL relax
Lol Um what
Hmmm really?
Everyone talking about the tripwire scène but not the scène that really jumpscared me:
The shot on the broken bridge
I had thought the english soldiers would fire back to cover him. But it didn't happen. He was on his own
Man that was an awesome movie...a little like saving private Ryan but ending was totally worth it... Best movie of 2019 alongside joker and Ford v Ferrari... Loved it .....
It was nothing like Saving Private Ryan lmao
Marcos Lopez Yes it is...the characters were “chosen” to save their sibling/their group. I legit thought it was like SPR in WW1 when the trailers first dropped...
It was wonderfully done because I thought the exact thing that it would be like Saving Private Ryan but any thoughts like that were stamped out after Blake got poked by the German pilot
I was gonna say, it’s hard to pick this or Ford vs Ferrari as my favorite of the year. I think both were incredible stories and well acted.
This movie was way better than both imo
As a father to two young daughters, that ending caught me completely by surprise and had me in tears. I was putting myself in Schofield's shoes the whole movie and then that ending just did me in. Such a good movie
Didn't Scofield tell Blake that he didn't want to go back home? My theory is his wife and kids are gone and he sat by the tree to die after reading "Come back to us". Remember he avoided answering the French lady's question "Do you have kids?"
It also explains why he didn't care for his medal at all, he has no home to go back to.
Yeah so I took that as proof that the war just makes you cut yourself off emotionally. Everyone is having to act outwardly the opposite to how they are on the inside. For example when Blake’s brother learns of his death he clearly wants to break down but he doesn’t. The moment at the end when Schofield looks at the picture is his real moment of showing what he’s really thinking and feeling.
@@mitchcoles8504 tbh i couldnt make out what he said there exactly. still makes you wonder why he cant stay.
He said it because when he sees his family it makes it even harder to leave again, so it’s better to not see them at all because of that pain
Kalie Shwiyhat I’ll have to rewatch it but there is such thing as subtext lol
You know, some movies impress me, some others make me laugh, a few select others make me cry... Well, this film made me sweat. A lot
*SPOILERS*
I realized how disgustingly hot I felt during one of the last scenes, when Will decides he's going to run outside the trenches to get to the soldier he's looking for, risking his life by exposing himself to enemy fire and artillery. I wanted to take my hoodie off. And, just at that point, I started to recall all the journey he goes through: how, in a matter of about 15 hours, he goes from a rather safe spot in the trenches to right the frontline, he loses a close friend, he probably saves the life of a woman and a child, he ends up losing almost all his equipment, all his food, weapons and ammo... And on that last sequence, he says to himself "I'm fucking getting to the end", and delivers one of the most epic runs I've ever witnessed in a film.
It's not that scene alone, is how we realize there hasn't been a moment to stop, around a campfire, the only moment he actually pauses is when he gets knocked out, just to get right back up when he wakes up. It's exhausting to be an spectator of this movie, and I absolutely loved that. It made me feel like I was there, as a soldier, and had to watch my best battle buddy suffer with pure impotence.
That's simply genius. What a movie. What a fucking movie.
Funny, I don't usually sweat a lot but I walked out of the theater covered in sweat lol
@TC Fenstermaker,it was so tense!
You took the words out of my mouth
I had NO interest in seeing this film, and then I found out it was supposed to seem like one long take (I’m a sucker for long takes) so I HAD to see this, and I was not disappointed.
Complex Matt I’m just curious what made you have no interest in seeing the film? I’m just curious because personally for me I was waiting for months for the movie. Lol
GetRoasted I mean it just seemed like Saving Private Ryan in WW1, and if it was cut normally the film would’ve just lost a lot of quality for me. The acting wasn’t amazing, the storyline kinda meh, only good quality is the cinematography, so take that out and It just probably goes to a C for me.
I think the acting is perfect for this movie, also for me... It seem real and natural, like how non dramatic and plain it was. Just like a real life should be. But you still can feel the deep emotion the character have in this movie.
And for the story, well this story is about a journey a soldier who get a mission to be a message courier. You can't expect much action and drama here... But it get me a clips about how horrific and brutal a world war is, and how a good men can die pointless and forgotten so easily... That, what make this movie perfect!
Complex Matt the acting was great and and the storyline is good stop sounding stupid
I had no idea I was seeing this film, had never heard of it then one December evening a friend called me up saying, "Hey dude my mom doesn't want to go see a movie with my family so we got an extra ticket, you interested?" and I said sure and that was the best sudden decision I had taken. Took my gf to see it a couple of months later in March and she loved it and had a curious but interested look through most of it. Left us both constantly on edge for the movie after the tripwire scene though which was fun
The most powerful moment for me was the end. All the trouble he went through, only to realized that it will only stop for a moment or day before headquarter will order the Colonel to send his men over the trench again in the morning, the day after, next week or next month. All that matter is the amount of lives they expend for inches at a time. (not sure of the exact quote)
I just came back from seeing this movie. I am a Reservist infantryman with the Canadian Armed Forces. I broke down in tears on my way home from this film. This is easily one of the best war films I have ever seen. Despite the fact that the events of this war happened over 100 years ago, a lot of things in this film reminded me of my experiences during my training. The only things that have really changed are the equipment and tactics. Nobody should have to be forced to go through the horrors of war.
Canuck GunNut what trade
/
@@rivenroyce9923 infantry.
@@burnyburnoutze2nd dope
when the movie ended i literally sat there wondering wtf just happened.
And that is kinda the point. In war, there are no breaks, no time to process what has happened.
@@discretelycontinuous2059 thanks captian obvious
I have an old photo-postcard of a great-uncle who fought in the first World War. On the front of the card is a picture of Toby in his uniform. On the back, addressed to his mother, it says 'I'm the boy who's going to get the Kaiser!'. From what my mother has told me, he never came home.
Man that’s such a sad story, shame so many didn’t get to come home. Thanks for checking out the video.
@@heavyspoilers Thank you, so much, for responding. That old photo-postcard is the primary reason I'm looking forward to this film (and movies or television concerning that terrible war, in general). Add in Roger Deakins' cinematography, and I'm there. :)
If he's British you may be able to find out a lot more about him. It helps to know his regiment if he has a common name. You can search Ancestry-co-uk to find his Medal Index Card (MIC) that will tell you what his regiment and battalion was and his medal entitlement, whether dead or alive. If you can get that info you can then search the National Archives for his battalion diary which will give you an idea of what he was doing and where he was when he was killed. The CWGC website will tell you where he is buried or where he is commemorated if he was lost.
@@floppyd0g Thank you. That's a very thoughtful suggestion. :)
@@curiousworld7912 Even better if you know the names of his parents and/or siblings, that will certainly help narrow him down if his name is a common one. Ask around the family too, see if anyone has momentos of his, if you find his paybook or even his dog tags then finding what he did will be a lot easier as both should have at least part of his service number on them.
Another tip is to take a close look at the insignia on his uniform, cap badge, shoulder patches, that sort of thing. There are three main ways to determine regiment. First is the cap badge which was the full regimental badge, second are the buttons which are stamped with the regimental badge, and last is the shoulder flash, usually brass on the end of the shoulder flap. This is usually just the abbreviation of the regiments name, as shown on the picture linked below. It is usually extremely difficult to determine the regiment of non officers in the field after 1916 because of the steel helmets, details of the buttons are not usually clear. However, it sounds like this was a portrait photograph taken before he went to war, so he is probably wearing his cap.
www.history-making.com/shop/basic-british-uniform-1914-1918/
wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/badgeindex.php
www.mycollectors.co.uk/content/cap-Badges/Army-Cap-Badges.aspx
Those sites may help you, they are not exhaustive, but could give you at least the Regiment.
The horrid smells of death on the battlefield cannot be imagined
Peter Jackson set up an immersive trench display in Wellington nz which included smell etc. Was a amazing and disturbing experience. They even mentioned how the fat of the dead above the trenches would sometimes drip down and at that moment a dip of water would hit someone. Scared the shit out of them.
And sound..
I was fortunate enough to see this movie on opening night for us in Canada. What an amazing journey!! You truly get a sense of the scale of the battlefield and the distance they needed to travel in order to deliver the message. The cinematography and music were spot on. I really felt like I was walking alongside them as they journeyed across no man's land. Without a doubt, a must-see!!
Yeah so well made, you’re exactly right, it was like being there with them
I found myself on edge the whole 2 hours, knowing at anytime something awful could happen and often did. A truly unique movie.
I loved this film. I do wonder though, why is it whenever a character shows mercy to another, the other tries to hurt the merciful one? I see the characters as strong for showing mercy to an enemy, but it always seems to complicate things more for them.
Because that is how situations in dangerous environments play out. If you let your guard down for a split second, you can get gutted, even by a person that you were intent on assisting. It’s not complicated. You have to avoid being naive. Don’t put yourself in those situations.
Like the colonel said, the war ends with the last man standing.
WhoisSweet that’s what my dad said
Well there are many layers to it imo.
It shows that sometimes doing good in war will not pay off, and that sometimes good men die. Doing good sometimes isn't the easy choice. I don't think they were trying to show Mercy as a naive action, but to be cautious, or ready for anything.
@@Royalmerc Except Mercy is naïve in a combat zone. There is no benefit to letting an enemy combatant survive. Doing "good" was the foolish choice and the character paid for it.
When the two lads first raised their heads to peer into 'No -Mans land' I felt myself hunkering down in the seat. Bloody powerful film.
To me it was a movie I never wanted to end.
Well it does cut once. When Schofield is knocked out when he's shot. That's not a criticism or anything. Liked the analysis
It was cut a bunch of times. They were just hidden cuts, so that it would appear as a one cut film. Still very very impressive to pull off though.
Payon de there was more than one cut. The river jump scene and the underground explosions were both cut scenes.
@@citizenphaid I know that there were obviously cuts. Anytime the screen is fully obscured there's a cut. But I mean that the movie actually, obviously cuts to black. Like there's one cut that's not disguised.
@@JorgeVillatoro not sure why people so naive to think that the movie is trying to fool you, is obviously cut but the way the movie is assemble to resemble one continuous shot the story itself doesn't get cut, the camera doesnt randomly switch angles everything is 1 single long shot stitched together. Is not supposed to be 2 hours of 1 camera roll. That would be innecificient and practically impossible.
This was one of the best films I have seen in years. They build tension from the moment they take their first steps and do not release that tension until the end. It leaves you physically tired by the end.
If you liked that, watch "Beneath Hill 60"
I really enjoyed the movie. The way it was filmed was stunning. Probably a movie you need to watch a few times to catch all the little nuances and messages. Very well done.
The forest scene where he lays next to the Devons and hears the song "Wayfaring Stranger" just made me cry 😢 😢
When he says "I need to find the Devons" he is so exhausted (physically and emotionally). "We're the Devon's, gov"
I was born in Argentina but for the last 41 years I have lived in Australia so the aftermath of WW1 is all around me. I am greatful for the sacrifice of so many men and women that suffered so much in order to give us a better future. I will be watching this movie this coming week and report back on your take of the movie.
Thank you! Hope you enjoy it
If you ever get a chance, go to the national war memorial in canberra. It has a wall with the name of every australian killed in every conflict. The wall for WWI is enormous. So so many lives were lost.
ugh...the ending....THE MUSIC. The sun, the tree. And dear God when I saw "come back to us" just started crying. It was the perfect end. I can't stop listening to that end track.
This film is incredible
The movie was a masterpiece. Nothing more, nothing less. A Masterpiece.
Apart from the perpendicular trench run scene, one of my favorite scenes was in the truck after Blake died. While the soldiers were conversing, Scofield sat with a blank face.
I really am sick and tired of people criticising the missed shots in this movie.
How many of those criticising have ever held an iron-sight rifle in darkness and attempted to align the two sights to make an aimed shot? There's a reason we developed optics for night and low-light engagements. Add into that the hip-firing, and the fact we know absolutely nothing about the mental state of those involved.
The German in the building - was he exhausted? Already wounded? Scared? Look at how the soldier holds his rifle when they first enter the German trench, he is shaking visibly with fear/adrenaline. Do you think his shot would be particularly accurate in that state - even when there's perfect lighting and visibility? Now throw in pitch darkness.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the depiction of rifles in this movie.
I thought it was implied that the German soldier was drunk
sinner silencer yes exactly! That’s why he doesn’t notice his friend being killed.
Missing shots is normal under pressure with a single shot rifle for most people. However the characters lacked tactics like wide peaking a doorway after they shot a soldier. They were little things.
CommandoDude If your watch it again and look at the German in the background you’ll realise he is drunk as he’s stumbling and if I recall correctly talking to himself.
@@nadeking4825 um er it was 1917. They hadn't used tanks before that conflit, why do you think they would know anything about tactical movement and clearance. They hadn't even begun to use field hand signals until after WW2, regardless of the bullshittery used in SPR..
WW1 tactics was pushing man over the parapet and advancing onto the enemy and hoping you had more men than they had bullets.
What was very subtle but there was the interaction between Schofield and Blake
Blake was the wide eyed and determined young recruit who’s not yet beaten down but war compared to Schofield who’s been there for a while and has seen and done it all
when Schofield interacts with Blake's brother at the end that was where i lost it with tears
If I were to describe this film in one word, the word would be "Beautiful".
The trip wire scene get anyone else?😂😂😂
Not really I knew it was going to blow the moment the sack hit the floor, the jump scare shot at the broken bridge got me though!
Gem Games lmao for me the trip wire scene scared the living shit out of me but when a shot came from nowhere when he was crossing the river, I barely reacted 😂
Imagine how pissed the soldiers would be if they saw the state of Britain today.
They’d want to stay in those trenches in france
Ain't that the truth.
Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
There'd be food on the table, all their kids would survive childhood and get an education, they wouldn't be forced by their government to rot in a trench until sentenced to their death when they are commanded to charge at machine guns. Joking about all these boys dying for no reason to make fun of today is disrespectful for those poor soliders who suffered and died
I‘d rather die of polio 100 years ago than live this degenerate society.
@@jamesbhollingsworth5452 Yeah, sure you would!
I think one particular shot that stuck with me was Schofield arriving at Acouste and staring in awe at the burning church, only to see a silhouette of the enemy slowly appear and then start charging at him. This movie was simply breathtaking and didn’t let up in its tenseness. Fantastic work of art.
Thomas Newman scored this film impeccably, that man really makes you feel the weight of a situation with his music, best composer out there
Just saw this I was left speechless and breathless by the end. This is one of the most powerful relentless cinematic pieces of storytelling I have seen.. An absolute MASTETPIECE!! 10/10
My great grandfather was a runner in ww1. Was quite surreal watching it
Lawrence Stevens as was mine, this movie hit me HARD
We’ve had such amazing brave people in our history. We should all be proud of every one of them.
Just saw it a few minutes ago. Your review is perfect. The people who made "The Rise of Skywalker" would be ashamed of themselves if they saw this movie. (actually I was told that many on the "crew" of "Skywalker" also were the crew for this movie. I'll bet I know which movie they are most proud of).
I chose not to see rise of sky Walker in theaters and spent my money to see this instead lol. I think I made the right choice
The crew of tros didn't decide ehat the movie entailed, it was beautifully shot, and beautifully made with incredible cgi and interesting cuts, and choreography, however, the main actions and everything that the movie entails was decided by the terrible, terrible writers and directorz.
@@ainucradle Yes, I agreed.
I saw TRoS as well (in fact, that and 1917 are the only movies I have watched at the cinema for many months). I certainly liked TRoS, however it is not on the level of "One of the greatest films I have ever seen" which 1917 certainly is.
When blake was dying and Schofield was just trying to tell him it's going to be okay that got me. The way blake insisted Schofield to keep talking to him and then he dies was so overwhelming. Then when the other soldiers came and the music they played over that scene hurt so much I cried especially when he was in the truck thinking about it. I just remembered my own bestfriend dying in my arms and me not having the time to even mourn him
Early in the movie I got the feeling that I was watching lord of the rings. How Frodo and Sam wise had to traverse the dangerous areas and risks
Where do you think Mordor came from? Tolkien was a WWI veteran himself. Mordor and Frodo's inner struggle are inspired by his own PTSD. So, yeah you're not far off the mark at all!
I've seen the movie twice in the past month -- once by myself and the second time with my parents. It's a masterpiece, incredible character study, and one of the greatest and most beautifully done films I've ever seen. I felt almost as though I'd been through a war too! Can't say enough about this movie and actor George Mackay.
My great uncle on my father's side was a doughboy in WWI. When I knew him as a very young child when we visited him and my grandfather at the family farm, he was alcoholic. I have feeling that his experience in France may have led him down that sad path. This movie was an amazing recreation of one of the most horrific wars ever waged and the courage of those soldiers who fought it.
I absolutely love this film, so happy I shared this incredible cinematic experience with my son, it completely raises the bar. It was such a privilege to see it on the big screen. Go and see it.
I love that scene after he falls from the waterfall. Because in writing water represents rebirth, and white represents purity. He floats across as white flowers fall down. He gets out crying which in my opinion adds to the rebirth aspect. And babies are pure. But we see him reborn, a new person, someone who finally took in everything he experienced. A new man with new experiences. We see him crawl than walk. He doesn't make complete sentences then does. I think that scene had so much packed into it. It's honestly the best single scene I've seen in a long while. So short. But so much to deconstruct and see. Of course these are just my opinions.
I agree with you, but the thing is that he comes crying out because there are decomposing torn opened bodies that he swims through
@@commander_eaa2862 I also think that's symbolism because it shows the old him is dead and he is reborn as a new man. Maybe is the college english classes making look into things like that but it's fun.
This film was like visual poetry on screen. So elegantly and gorgeously shot and probably the most emotional war movie I've ever seen. Can't even put some of those scenes into words! 😀😀😀
Saw the movie today, so amazing, it's an experience. It's one of the best looking films I've seen in a long while, the one continuous shot feature of this movie adds to this.
I'd love to see this in 3d if that was an option, would be amazing.
Yeah that would be incredible, at points it feels like you’re another soldier on the mission with them just seeing things through your POV it’s so well made
When I bought my ticket it said 2D. I would have happily paid extra to see a 3D version but I don't know if it exists.
The small moments with the other soldiers and officers really added some punching power to this film. When they hear his cry to push the vehicle out of the ditch and give it everything they have to help him. You can really sense their camaraderie. Tremendous film.
I know it's been said before, this movie must be seen on the big screen.
Hard to pick one particular scene, but the scene to black, immediately following the showdown with the German soldier in the tower, was very powerful. I didn't breath until we came out of that blackout.
John Handley SAME. The entire theater went silent during the blackout and I was anticipating anything and everything.
Don't worry you don't need to pick a scene: There is only 1 scene in the entire film
Excellent video review. Your personal ties to the war through family certainly gives you added insight. I was especially taken by your thoughts on "no time to process" with regards to the trauma that Scofield experienced. As a physician, I have frequently been called on to give patients and family bad news. It is always a difficult experience, and I often need to "revisit" (re-explain) almost everything later on as they usually are unable to process what is happening. Fears and anxieties come on gradually after the news, not right when it is delivered. In war and life traumas, this is at the heart of PTSD, "post-traumatic stress" can, at times, be worse than the trauma itself. For WWI veterans, I believe it was called "shell-shocked" Once again, great video with excellent insights which go beyond a typical movie review. Thank you!
I just have returned from watching this in IMAX. Just wanted to say what an amazing film. It kept me riveted all the way through. I would highly recommend.
Someone coughed behind me in the theater during a quiet scene ....about had a heart attack
The movie was absolutely phenomenal
I saw this movie in the first film on the first day here where I live. I absolutely loved this movie. I loved the fact that it was stayed with the main characters throughout the whole movie. You did a great job pointing out what occurred throughout the movie.
Aside from the review that I completely agree with, I thought it was a nice touch to specially mention your great grandfather.. mine was a rear gunner in the RAF 💓
Ah amazing, it’s crazy how many people’s relatives were involved in it, you don’t really appreciate what they went through till you see it in films like this. Thanks for checking out the video and leaving a comment.
Great summary and comment on the movie! I really enjoyed taking part in this journey once again
loved the scene that was a cross section of the front line, from the green fields on the Belgium side, then into the allied trenches
through to the mud and barbwire of no man's land, then into the german trenches and further along, their supply lines and heavy artillery and finally into the green fields of the conquered countryside.
It was an eye opening, fast paced sequence.
That trip wire scene..
Gordon Morris that cathedral on fire scene tho 🔥
It scared the shit out of me
I have been wounded twice, literally blown off my feet three times (two RPGs, one rocket) had a grenade blow-up right next to my helmet (steel pot days), and that trip wire scene was probably the most authentic movie explosion I have ever seen/felt (I watched the movie in one of those theatres with all of the surround sound and special effects chairs...
@@XanthusBarnabas respect
George MacKay deserves a Oscar for his performance in 1917.
The humanity in this film was devastating.
Momentary kindnesses in such adversity that made such differences, good and bad to the people in this film. So many stories that were on screen for seconds and then they were gone.
Allowing the rat to live which ultimately cost Blake his life, because if Scho hadn't been injured they would have missed the plane crash.
The lift in the back of the truck, if he had walked on foot it would have been nightfall and he wouldn't have been able to cross the river as safely as he did.
The nip of alcohol that was the only sustenance he had for the whole journey.
The Sergeant's advice about having an audience.
The way the woman tended his wounds with what little she had.
The sacrifice of his rations for the benefit of the woman and child.
Singing the Jumblies to a baby who most likely would not see morning, much like he must have done to his own daughters.
The final song of the soldier as the young lads sit waiting to die.
The fact strangers picked up this clearly traumatised soldier and would look after him despite the adversity they are facing.
The officer turning to him and saying 'well done, lad' after his efforts had gone completely ignored. He had clearly been through hell, risked his life but he was told to fuck off.
Keeping Blake's rings for his brother. The way he turned back knowing how upset his brother was.
'Come home to us.'
War is hell. But not even war can destroy the smallest acts of love and kindness that humans are capable of.