Great movie to look at, beautifully shot by Roger Deakins and well directed by Sam Mendes. But it is not the masterpiece they want us to believe.
I was struck by the sililarities with that other recent war epic "Dunkirk". Ofcourse that was in WWII and based on a real event, but bear with me on this one. 1917 and Dunkirk were highly praised on their release and 1917 will undoubtedly also rack up some Oscars. Both movies are made by high-profile directors, Mendes and Christopher Nolan for "DunKirk, and both movies are shot in the ultra-widescreen Imax format. They are also both serious British flagwavers. Also both stories are full of plotholes (remember the Spitfire in Dunkirk that could fly without petrol). But my main concern with both movies is this : where are the bloody Germans ? In "Dunkirk" we see a few German planes from a far distance and in the very end a few shadowy German soldiers. And it is almost the same in 1917 : we only see dark flashes of them, even the downed German pilot is quickly disposed of (after he in true Hun-fashion has stabbed one of his British saviours). What is it then : can't we have a fight, would it be to gruesome on the giant Imaxscreen or is it maybe Hollywood won't allow these days German troops in full regalia on such a big moviescreen ?
I was struck by the sililarities with that other recent war epic "Dunkirk". Ofcourse that was in WWII and based on a real event, but bear with me on this one. 1917 and Dunkirk were highly praised on their release and 1917 will undoubtedly also rack up some Oscars. Both movies are made by high-profile directors, Mendes and Christopher Nolan for "DunKirk, and both movies are shot in the ultra-widescreen Imax format. They are also both serious British flagwavers. Also both stories are full of plotholes (remember the Spitfire in Dunkirk that could fly without petrol). But my main concern with both movies is this : where are the bloody Germans ? In "Dunkirk" we see a few German planes from a far distance and in the very end a few shadowy German soldiers. And it is almost the same in 1917 : we only see dark flashes of them, even the downed German pilot is quickly disposed of (after he in true Hun-fashion has stabbed one of his British saviours). What is it then : can't we have a fight, would it be to gruesome on the giant Imaxscreen or is it maybe Hollywood won't allow these days German troops in full regalia on such a big moviescreen ?