PhantomKnight
CS! Gold
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,532 
Likes: 3,135
Location:
Last Online Nov 26, 2024 0:22:29 GMT -5
|
Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 13, 2020 9:46:52 GMT -5
But it does ring a bit hollow in the end because it feels like it’s driven more by the experience than the narrative. I mean, the story on its own works well for how the film is sold and it provides lots of genuine suspense, but it feels like it’s missing that extra something to take it all the way to greatness. ***1/2 /****I've heard this from some people I've talked to. While I don't really agree I do understand. Someone mentioned that even if they showed a wide shot of a battleground or no man's land to give it some scope it would have added to the experience in a positive way. To me though it was about the experience of these two guys over a few short hours rather than the standard war movie where we focus on and learn about a handful of guys over a period of weeks or months. I'm sure that it was brought up during production to add aerials or wides to give it that 'war movie' feel but it was probably shot down as taking away from what these two guys are going through. I could be wrong but just my guess. I wasn't talking about the movie needing to add scope. More like I felt that there could've been more work put towards better establishing these characters outside of a couple quick lines in the first half hour. These two guys are certainly put through the ringer in this film and there is a fair share of horrific things that happen to them...but I don't think I really cared as much as I should have. Most of the suspense came from the fact that it feels like you yourself are in these situations, given how it's all filmed, rather than it's these specific characters in them. |
|
Doomsday
Administrator 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 23,307
Likes: 6,774
Location:
Last Online Nov 26, 2024 1:07:40 GMT -5
|
Post by Doomsday on Jan 13, 2020 13:40:17 GMT -5
I thought it did a good job in giving you what you needed considering it's a ticking clock movie that takes place over a few quick hours. Not a lot of time to have guys sitting around a campfire talking about their hopes and dreams and how we all died a bit in this damn war. Also having the main character die halfway through might have taken some of the characterization off the table.
|
|
PhantomKnight
CS! Gold
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,532
Likes: 3,135
Location:
Last Online Nov 26, 2024 0:22:29 GMT -5
|
Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 13, 2020 13:45:12 GMT -5
Here I was trying to tiptoe around that particular spoiler...
|
|
1godzillafan
Studio Head
Join Date: Feb 2017
I like pie!
Posts: 9,480
Likes: 6,217
Location:
Last Online Nov 8, 2024 5:42:00 GMT -5
|
Post by 1godzillafan on Jan 13, 2020 13:48:42 GMT -5
SPOILER: DUDE DIES IN WAR MOVIE!
|
|
Doomsday
Administrator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 23,307
Likes: 6,774
Location:
Last Online Nov 26, 2024 1:07:40 GMT -5
|
Post by Doomsday on Jan 13, 2020 14:09:26 GMT -5
Oh yeah, spoiler alert.
|
|
frankyt
CS! Gold
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 21,947
Likes: 2,017
Location:
Last Online Nov 25, 2024 22:21:29 GMT -5
|
Post by frankyt on Jan 13, 2020 14:23:38 GMT -5
Blake was supposed to be played by Tom Holland. Dodged that bullet. And please ban yourself Doomsday. You know the rules. |
|
PhantomKnight
CS! Gold
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,532
Likes: 3,135
Location:
Last Online Nov 26, 2024 0:22:29 GMT -5
|
Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 13, 2020 14:24:35 GMT -5
More like dodged that knife.
|
|
thebtskink
CS! Silver
Join Date: Jul 2000
It puts the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again.
Posts: 19,462
Likes: 4,984
Location:
Last Online Nov 25, 2024 23:36:50 GMT -5
|
Post by thebtskink on Jan 14, 2020 18:14:53 GMT -5
Without getting into spoilers, the nighttime scene was one of my favorites of the year.
It's been a visual stuck in my head for a few years now from the Hardcore History podcast.
|
|
PG Cooper
CS! Silver
Join Date: Feb 2009
And those who tasted the bite of his sword named him...The DOOM Slayer
Posts: 16,650
Likes: 4,067
Location:
Last Online Nov 25, 2024 21:43:34 GMT -5
|
Post by PG Cooper on Jan 14, 2020 18:15:53 GMT -5
I read a tweet the other day that said the worst thing that could happen to 1917 is winning Best Picture and I couldn't agree more. This is a very straightforward movie without much depth that is telling a variation on a narrative we've all heard many times before. These aren't really flaws, but they're the kind elements which would lead to the film taking a trashing for winning the big prize. But looked at as more of an experience, 1917 is very successful. Going into the film, I was pretty skeptical about the one-shot gimmick, but in practice, the choice effectively limits the perspective of the main characters and really emphasizes their isolation and desperation in traversing the front. A handful of set-pieces are very suspenseful and the film's climactic scene had much more of an impact on me than I thought it would.
The film maybe has a bit more downtime than it probably should, but overall, 1917 is a technical triumph with a great score from Thomas Newman. The bigger question is whether or not this approach was appropriate for a story set in World War One. I don't think the film celebrates war and certainly offers glimpses into just how hellish the experience for soldiers was, but all the same, turning WWI into a thrilling journey of heroism does feel a little off. Still, I can't deny the craft on display. This is probably Sam Mendes's best work since Jarhead.
A-
|
|
IanTheCool
CS! Gold
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 21,497
Likes: 2,865
Location:
Last Online Nov 25, 2024 19:57:35 GMT -5
|
Post by IanTheCool on Feb 20, 2020 10:51:36 GMT -5
Is there a conversation to be had on the tact of using WWI as a background for what is essentially just an action/adventure film?
|
|
1godzillafan
Studio Head
Join Date: Feb 2017
I like pie!
Posts: 9,480
Likes: 6,217
Location:
Last Online Nov 8, 2024 5:42:00 GMT -5
|
Post by 1godzillafan on Feb 20, 2020 10:57:51 GMT -5
|
|
IanTheCool
CS! Gold
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 21,497
Likes: 2,865
Location:
Last Online Nov 25, 2024 19:57:35 GMT -5
|
Post by IanTheCool on Feb 20, 2020 11:03:25 GMT -5
Touche. Nonetheless, I'm surprised there isn't more of a conversation about it. |
|
Dracula
CS! Gold
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 26,106
Likes: 5,732
Location:
Last Online Nov 25, 2024 22:45:58 GMT -5
|
Post by Dracula on Feb 20, 2020 11:06:35 GMT -5
Is there a conversation to be had on the tact of using WWI as a background for what is essentially just an action/adventure film? Have you read the reviews from earlier in the thread? |
|
1godzillafan
Studio Head
Join Date: Feb 2017
I like pie!
Posts: 9,480
Likes: 6,217
Location:
Last Online Nov 8, 2024 5:42:00 GMT -5
|
Post by 1godzillafan on Feb 20, 2020 11:52:20 GMT -5
One of my favorite movies is The General, though apparently when that came out it came under fire from Civil War vets for using the actual war (as well as an actual event) to create a slapstick chase comedy. I can certainly see that point of view, though I think respectful approach works in its favor.
Compare it to, say, Steven Spielberg's 1941, which is nonstop chaotic slapstick that mocks the war setting. It was a massive "...the fuck?" then and it's a massive "...the fuck?" now.
1917 uses the war setting to tell a tale with a sense of urgency that respects the soldiers that gave their lives as well as gives a heroic portrayal to them, so I don't have a problem with it being mostly an action movie.
|
|
