1917

For a decade that saw the centenary of The Great War as it's known, the 2010s didn't exactly go overboard with films exploring the horrors of the first World War. We had War Horse and Journey's End to name but a few however these were all adaptations. The best known war films to depict the events between 1914 and 1918 all came from the 20th century but then Sam Mendes created an original screenplay at the tail-end of the decade based on his grandfather's experiences to help capture what life was like during these dark times with 1917.

The mission is for two British soldiers to get across the battlefield and deliver a message that will prevent 1,600 men from walking into a German ambush. It's a short distance to travel but the young soldiers will have to cross no-man's land, thousands of corpses and enemy held territory if they are to be successful. Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay star as the two leads with the burden, and Sam Mendes depicts everything that follows in real-time through the use of seemingly one take.

Visual gimmicks in films can be effective but also distracting and for a war film as poignant as this it could be disastrous. Mendes experimented with the one take approach in his last film Spectre which was fun to see but didn't really add much to the film. Working alongside the master that is Roger Deakins, the effect of following the film through an unblinking eye is sublime and never once distracting. The story begins with a long walk down a trench which is impressive to see as Mendes introduces how the film will unfold but he and Deakins keep the focus on the characters as we forget about the technical aspects which give way to making the story as impactful as it is.

The two leads, along with the supporting cast of cameos, are fantastic and help to capture the worn-down intensity of trench warfare which is bolstered by Deakins' stellar cinematography that carefully manoeuvres around the hazardous scenery, and also Thomas Newman's incredible score. Beyond one scene in a river which perhaps lasts a tad too long, I otherwise can't fault 1917 and it should be seen on the biggest screens for the full experience. And with the Oscars announced for this, it deserves everything it receives and is one of the best films of the year.