Hacksaw Ridge

Ten years after the thrilling Apocalypto came to our screens, and some years after that controversial incident(s), Mel Gibson returns to our screens once again with another blood-soaked epic in the shape of Hacksaw Ridge. This time it seems Gibson has finally listened to the cries from historians after Braveheart, Apocalypto again and also from his performance in The Patriot, and aims for a more sombre true story about Desmond Doss. A name I wasn't familiar with initially but this man enlisted to serve in the Pacific Campaign during World War 2 as a medic but refused to carry a single firearm while saving many lives and the whole story is remarkable.

Without giving too much a way, Gibson does go the extra mile to prove the events you see did occur but all be it with some artistic licence. We can rarely expect that every historic film accurately accounts for each day of its subject, and while I am no historian, the result is certainly among Gibson's best work. However, it can't be denied that he is guilty of pulling on the emotions of his audience, as he did with Braveheart, pushing the sentimentality so far that this could have been directed by Spielberg.

The story begins with Doss, played by Andrew Garfield on top form, as the kind hearted optimist living in a sunny American town with his mother, brother and often drunk father who served in the Great War. You may already see where this is going as he encounters wounded soldiers and meets a cute nurse who he quickly falls in love with, which is not exactly original but the setup is excellently handled by Gibson as he leads us towards the main story. And once the action begins it is relentless as we are brought into the heat of battle as the Americans fight the Japanese.

From here onwards, Gibson's direction is focused and never wastes a single frame. The same praise should also go to the supporting cast including Hugo Weaving, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughan and Sam Worthington who are all terrific, but it is Garfield who truly shines. The innocent Doss isn't an easy role to take on and in the wrong hands this could have fallen flat taking the film with it, but Garfield finds the right balance proving that turn as Spiderman should be best left forgotten.

Hacksaw Ridge will certainly rank high among the best war films of the decade and deserves its recognition at the awards. Whether it ranks among Gibson's best is hard to say and the religious aspects may not be to everyone's liking, but this is still a very good film that should hopefully delight historians as well.