Hacksaw Ridge Review

R: Intense Prolonged Realistically Graphic Sequences of War Violence Including Grisly Bloody Images

Summit Entertainment, IM Global, Cross Creek Pictures

2 Hrs and 11 Minutes

Cast: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Richard Roxburgh, Hugo Weaving, with Rachel Griffiths, and Vince Vaughn

REVIEW: Say what you will about Mel Gibson. Every time I hear something about him, its never a good thing. But one thing I’ve always respected him for was his films as a director. Since I learned Mel Gibson directed Passion of the Christ (one of the first films that broke me at a very young age), I’ve always had the upmost respect for him. Though I’ve never seen Braveheart (one of my dad’s favorite films), I did see Apoctyplto in history class and was in awe in how much work and effort that was put into that film. Now we have Hacksaw Ridge, the true story of WWII vet Desmond Doss that saved lives without taking any other’s in the process.

WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first Conscientious Objector in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

THE BAD: There are some major flaws. First off there are special effects and they are bad. There are shots of explosions that are cheap. There are shots of Japanese warships that look extremely CG’d that it looks like cutscenes from a video game. Even in some shots at the Hacksaw Ridge, you can see some used green screen that bleed into the actors well. Some of the story elements aren’t even mentioned again such as Desmond’s brother Hal going to war in one scene but isn’t seen or heard from for the rest of it.

THE GOOD: This biopic, Hacksaw Ridge, broke me. Never has a film put me through so much horrors, so much excruciating pain since 2013’ 12 Years A Slave. I can cry in movies, I had my fair share but, this made me feel a way I haven’t felt in a film in a long time. Not only did this film gave an inspirational hope that displays the best of humanity at even one of the most violent times in history but, it also as Andrew Garfield said during the following Q&A, took me from my spine and kept shaking it to no end. With the exception with Saving Private Ryan,  every war film I’ve seen from Fury to Pearl Harbor, to even Glory nothing compares to the brutality and horrors that this film shows of WWII. It is one of those films that makes you want to get a drink afterwards to think about your life. 

The film’s story is split into two halves that makes everything work as one. The first half of the film is centered on Doss’ upbringing from a child to a grown man where he met his love to his brutal training where he was abused by other soldiers and jailed by his officers leading up to his trial where he finally received the right to go to war without a firearm. Then the entire second half is Doss at the Battle of Okinawa which displays what Mel Gibson directs best: violence.

The violence in the film is relentless. It barely lets up and when it does, it frightens the hell out of you. There are countless prolonged sequences of blood splattering, guts and intestines exploding, body parts blown off, the list goes on and on. When the war sequence up Hacksaw Ridge began, it was frightening and shocking. From my fright and shock, it turned into queasiness and disgust. And by the 10 minute mark of that sequence, my disgust turned into tears of the countless lives that you see get taken away in a graphically realistic manner. I had to get a drink of water because I couldn't take it for after a while. I started breathing so hard and hyperventilating to a point I feared I was gonna pass out. Believe it or not, this film doesn’t only display the brutality that is war, but it also emphasizes one man’s heart and humanity. 

What makes this film so powerful is the character of Doss, who throughout all the blood he sees spilled by him he doesn’t rest till he saves lives at the absenter where lives are constantly being taken. He stays true to his beliefs and who he is throughout the whole film no matter what anybody tells him. He is put into so many dangerous situations during the war that your heart intensely pounds for him to make it out alive with each person he attempts to save. It didn't matter which side they were on, whenever he saw a breathing living body, he went to go save it. Where people say that this person is an American Hero, this man was a hero and this film does him justice with a brilliant performance by Andrew Garfield. He brings a beautiful sense of humbleness and charm within his character while having emotionally breaking moments when he’s at lowest moments and you feel for him every moment of it. This is a performance that you’ve never expect or seen in him which truly brings one of the best performances I’ve seen this entire year. This is his movie and he carries it all the way through.

Another great performance worth mentioning is Vince Vaughn who is the comedic heart this film needed. When he’s introduced he cracks jokes as much as you think a Sgt. might do. But his approach isn’t in much of a yelling way but in a subtle yet insulting sort of way that you’ve never seen him do since…..Wedding Crashers. He is one of the best characters in the film and gives a really career changing performance.

From the trailer, it may look like another WWII film with some Christian undertones. No this is the most horrific portrayal of war I’ve ever seen. Some of the scenes in the beginning shows how much violence will be shown. Its strange because the atmosphere of the whole film has a PG13 feel, but the war sequences puts the R rating into use. There may not be any use of the word "fuck" in the film, but that’s the only word you’re going to say once battle ensues on screen. 

Not only the look captures how awful war is, but it captures the sound does too. You will constantly either hold your ears tight or look around your theater because every gunshot and explosion is frightening that you when you leave you will get PTSD. If you’re a war veteran (it doesn’t which war you served) suffering from PTSD do not see this movie. This movie will throw you in an outburst that you’ll be regretting after. This movie will leave you shaking, feeling shitty, and most of all broken. 

LAST STATEMENT: Director Mel Gibson’s use of a great cast and strong violence in Hacksaw Ridge makes for a meaningful character driven story (with a powerful performance by Andrew Garfield) that honors a honestly humble American hero whose care for his belief and humanity as an inspiration for all to see and experience. This is one of the best films of 2016, and probably one of my favorite war movies of all time.

Rating: 5/5 | 98%

Super Scene: “Lord, please let me get one more” | Doss goes underground and shows his human heart

Andrew Garfield and I after the BAFTA Q&A Screening