The Oscar-winner also has one of the best battle scenes you’ll see.
Over the summer, the release of Dunkirk drew some criticism because of its refusal to adhere to the traditional WWII formula of showing blood and guts, but if you’re looking for a war film that feels both traditional and groundbreaking, Hacksaw Ridge is for you.
With 2 Oscars. 41 other wins & 107 nominations, Mel Gibson’s violent tale of courage, bravery, and redemption signified his own return to Hollywood following an incredibly tumultuous period in his own personal life.
The Guardian summed things up in their review which stated: ” As repellent a figure as many may still find Gibson, I have to report he’s absolutely hit Hacksaw Ridge out of the park.”
In case you haven’t seen the film then you’re in for a brutal yet beautiful treat.
Hacksaw Ridge is the extraordinary true story of Desmond Doss [Andrew Garfield] who, in Okinawa during the bloodiest battle of WWII, saved 75 men without firing or carrying a gun. He was the only American soldier in WWII to fight on the front lines without a weapon, as he believed that while the war was justified, killing was nevertheless wrong.
As an army medic, he single-handedly evacuated the wounded from behind enemy lines, braved fire while tending to soldiers and was wounded by a grenade and hit by snipers. Doss was the first conscientious objector to ever earn the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Without giving too much away, one of the battle sequences is the closest embodiment of the phrase ‘war is hell.’
Bullets fly, blood splatters, limbs get hacked off, maggots eat the flesh of the dead soldiers and yet, there’s a haunting beauty in Gibson’s film.
These reviewers agree.
Observer – “The best war film since Saving Private Ryan. It is violent, harrowing, heartbreaking and unforgettable. And yes, it was directed by Mel Gibson. He deserves a medal, too.”
Rolling Stone – “Thanks to some of the greatest battle scenes ever filmed, Gibson once again shows his staggering gifts as a filmmaker, able to juxtapose savagery with aching tenderness.”
Washington Post – “Hacksaw Ridge winds up being a rousing piece of entertainment that also happens to be an affecting portrait of spiritual faith and simple human decency.”
Hollywood Reporter – “Gibson’s forceful comeback is a violent drama about pacifism that succeeds in combining horror with grace.”
The film isn’t without its flaws – one scene of a person descending from the ridge is so overtly religious that it might as well be called The Passion of the Christ 2 – but this is a brilliant piece of work from Gibson.
Check it out on Netflix.
Clip via – Lionsgate Movies
