Hacksaw Ridge - movie review

Hacksaw Ridge

Plot: WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people, and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey
Director: Mel Gibson
Certificate: 15 (strong bloody violence, gory injury detail)
Runtime: 2hrs 19 mins
Release Date: Friday 27th January 2017

When Hacksaw Ridge premiered at the Venice Film Festival, it received a ten minute standing ovation. If that isn't enough reason to be anticipating this film then I don't know what is. We have yet another awards contender on our hands here with a director hoping to make a triumphant comeback after his less than stellar personal issues and a story that simply needed to be told. Focusing on real life soldier Desmond Doss, it details his trials and tribulations he faced at basic training when refusing to touch a weapon to his eventual admittance into the army and his astonishing acts of heroism. Hacksaw Ridge, to put it simply, is destined to become a war classic that will be idolised for decades to come.


Fresh off defending Christianity in Japan, Andrew Garfield seems to be going from strength to strength. For the Academy Awards, a rule in place that one person cannot be nominated twice in the same category. They can, if they're lucky, be awarded a lead and supporting actor nomination but that's still very rare. For Garfield, an exception should be made so he could be nominated for both Hacksaw Ridge and Silence because they are the best performances he's ever achieved. From perfecting the distinct accent that Desmond possesses to the sheer devotion he has for his religion allowing him to serve his country like no other soldier could, Garfield is consistently excellent. His performance has such range but that's because we see his character go through such a traumatic and awe-inspiring journey. When we first encounter Desmond, he's helping in his village and falls in love with a local nurse. Garfield is able to lovingly depict Desmond's attempt to woo his future wife in a manner that luckily avoids the clichéd romance territory but still maintains the puppy dog eyes he has for her. However, as soon as Desmond boards the bus to Fort Jackson and his training begins, Garfield's performance only gets better from then on. The brutality he faces from fellow soldiers and the ridicule he receives from his superiors would surely make any regular man crack but Desmond powers through and it was at this point that Garfield transcended a simple performance. I no longer saw Andrew Garfield in this film. I became so invested and wrapped up in the story that he simply disappeared into the role. That's the mark of a true actor. Eventually, when Desmond is shipped off to Japan, and they encounter the titular Hacksaw Ridge, we are treated to another layer of Garfield's talents thanks to a number of combat scenes where the determination of saving lives rather than taking them is paramount. The reason why Desmond is such a fascinating character is that he is a real life superhero. No powers. No capes. Just a man with extraordinary courage and Garfield serves as the best possible vessel to bring this man's story to the forefront. 

I would also imagine that, being a great actor himself, Mel Gibson would have also given Garfield a lot of expert knowledge in regards to his performance. That would also explain how actors like Sam Worthington and Luke Bracey give not just good, but great performances when their career until this point hasn't really been that fortuitous. Worthington proves that when he's given a solid supporting role, he comes into his own and Luke Bracey proves that he can actually act because the Point Break remake suggested otherwise. Teresa Palmer also stars as Dorothy, the nurse that Desmond marries and she too, is wonderful in the role. Garfield and Palmer share sweet chemistry and the film proves that love is a powerful force. Even when Desmond faces court martial, the loyalty Dorothy advocates towards her husband is brilliant but it's Palmer that helps the character become more than just the casual love interest. Another great supporting role is supplied by Vince Vaughn who provides a performance that isn't usually in his wheelhouse but yet, he's arguably the best I've ever seen him. Vaughn gives his own unique interpretation of a role almost identical to the drill sergeant from Full Metal Jacket spouting these wild and crazy insults at the new cadets. All of these performances are great but compared to Garfield, they are on a lower level. The only actor that comes close to matching Garfield's talent is Hugo Weaving's performance as Desmond's alcoholic and unstable father. He is endearing and terrifying. He is emotional yet damaged. Weaving utilities all possible past experiences from his acting repertoire giving, like many others of this film, a performance that any actor would kill for. In actual fact, I'd argue that Hugo Weaving has rightfully earned a Supporting Actor nomination for this role. 

FACT: According to director Mel Gibson, Desmond T. Doss's son Desmond Jr. attended the screening and was moved tears by Andrew Garfield's accurate portrayal of his dad.

Hacksaw Ridge may provide first class performances from every actor but Gibson's direction is second to none especially during the war scenes. My one and only problem that I encountered whilst watching this otherwise phenomenal film, was the first thirty minutes. They were very enjoyable but unfortunately, very cheesy. From the manner in which they met, the continuing persistence from Desmond and the eventual caving in from Dorothy, their romance may be sweet, but it's about a generic as you can get. If this is any indication, don't expect Gibson to be directing any romance films soon. I understand that the bright colours and hopeful tone is important to juxtapose the drab and horrifying war sequences but it still began in a basic manner. That being said, the war scenes featured in Hacksaw Ridge are spectacular. There isn't a director working today that films action as professionally and expertly as Mel Gibson can. Whenever the battle scenes are taking place, as a critic, it's an honour to be watching a master at work. But Hacksaw Ridge doesn't glorify violence or war for that matter. On the contrary, through Gibson's fantastic direction, the war scenes are scarily realistic. Most war films have intense battle sequences but I can only think of a few that unsettle, disturb and frighten me. Every moment of Hacksaw Ridge's battle scenes are horrifyingly accurate and gritty. It was like I was witnessing documentary footage and when soldiers die, it looked and felt real which added to my discomfort. Hacksaw Ridge supplies the most intense action scenes in recent memory and just when you think it's calm again and the battle has concluded, you realise that it was only a brief suspension and the violence continues. That's another thing about Hacksaw Ridge - it's incredibly violent. For a film focusing on the life of a conscientious objector, every death is graphic but tastefully so. I would say that I spent a large portion squirming in my seat but I was gripping my arm rests in such fear and terror, more than any horror film, that my body was unable to move. I could go on for days about the war scenes in this but simply put, they are stunning cinema and potentially make this the best war film since Saving Private Ryan.

Unbelievable. One of the best war films made in a long time and serves as a redemption piece for Mel Gibson. Garfield is absolutely unstoppable right now with him seemingly have performance of his career after performance of his career. Actors dream of having one of these performances but two is fantastical insanity. I enjoyed the set up for all of our characters and the struggle faced by Desmond in training but when war starts, it is cinematic perfection.

My Verdict: 9/10

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