'1917' (15)

*****

In the midst of World War One, two young British soldiers are tasked with delivering a message that will save 1600 soldiers from certain death.

Before 1917 was even released in the UK, it was already collecting accolades aplenty, with big wins at the Golden Globes in the first week of January. Plus, with nominations for Best Film and Best Director at the BAFTAs and almost guaranteed nods at the Oscars, it seems like Sam Mendes' foray into the war genre will be taking home yet more gongs before awards season is over. Naturally, when a film receives quite so much hype, the idea of going to see it can make me feel a little trepidatious - however, as a self-confessed lover of war films, there was no way I was going to miss this...

I needn't have been worried: without a doubt, 1917 is one of the best films I've seen in a very long time. From the moment the central pair of young soldiers, Blake and Schofield (Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay, respectively), receive their orders to deliver this all-important message to another battalion, my heart was in my mouth and it felt as though I didn't take a full breath until I had a little weep at the end. Indeed, there are moments of such tension (the initial clamber across No Man's Land and a chase through the burning ruins of a French town) that I felt the adrenaline begin to pound - it really is an immersive, emotive experience.

Much has already been made of the 'continuous shot' method of filming, and it completely works: not only does it increase the sense of urgency, it also feels as though we're living each second of this mission with Blake and Schofield. At times, it feels confusing and disorientating - as the camera snakes through the seemingly endless trenches, I felt completely lost as to what direction we were facing in, but this is how it must have been for the soldiers themselves. Roger Deakins, ever a master of his profession, pulls out all the cinematography stops here - some sequences are nothing short of works of art - whilst Thomas Newman's gently haunting score fluctuates from cautiously hopeful to devastatingly barbaric in just a few chords.    

As with all British war films, a host of familiar faces flood the screen - Dunkirk, anyone? Andrew Scott (who's on an incredible high and appears in everything at the moment) appears briefly as an acerbic Lieutenant, providing the only (albeit dark!) humour of the film and stealing the scene in the process. There are also cameos from the likes of Colin Firth, Mark Strong (we always need more Mark Strong) and Benedict Cumberbatch. However, as in Christopher Nolan's war epic, it's the young cast who provide the heart and soul of the film, with George MacKay cementing himself as one of the most watchable actors working today. 

Mendes, who also directed one of the best stage plays of recent years, has been quoted as saying that Skyfall gave him the confidence to make 1917, and the word 'confidence' seems oddly appropriate - never once does the film fail to live up to the strength of it's convictions, marrying tragedy with hope seamlessly. In short, it's a stunning achievement of a film. When you see it, and you definitely should, see it on the biggest screen you can - you won't forget the experience!