1917

Directed by Sam Mendes, 1917 follows two WWI-era soldiers (George MacKay’s Schofield and Dean-Charles Chapman’s Blake) as they’re sent on a perilous mission to deliver orders calling off an imminent attack. Filmmaker Mendes, working from a script written with Krysty Wilson-Cairns, does a superb job of immediately drawing the viewer into the stylish proceedings, as 1917 kicks off with a fairly riveting opening stretch that effectively establishes the two central characters and their seemingly impossible-to-complete task – with Mendes’ decision to employ a single-take visual sensibility certainly heightening the inherently engrossing and tense atmosphere. And although Mendes has certainly packed the picture with a number of palpably captivating sequences, 1917’s real-time conceit does pave the way for a somewhat erratic, hit-and-miss midsection that’s not quite as taut as one might’ve hoped – with the uneven vibe undoubtedly exacerbated by a fairly pivotal twist that shifts the balance of the characters’ interactions. There’s little doubt, though, that 1917 recovers with a vengeance in its often astonishingly spellbinding third act, as Mendes offers up a series of visceral and surprisingly emotional interludes that ensure the whole thing ends on a memorable, impactful note – with the perfect final scene cementing the whole thing’s place as an uneven yet mostly engaging wartime drama.

*** out of ****