Mendes is a strong film-maker and certainly one to be cherished every time a new project of his arrives. Especially when he seems to make a new film every three years on average when you look at his filmography.
I must say this is definitely up there with his best work, and some will see it as most rewarding project.
The look and vibe of it reminded me a lot of Gravity and Dunkirk. It's all about the spectacle and the event, but has little in the way of character development. Thankfully, it still hit me as hard emotionally like the aforementioned films did.
Plus, there is also similarities to Birdman in regards to its cinematography. That means that this film is made to look like one continuous shot. I'm always a sucker for this concept as I want to see how creative the director and their team can be with this.
The cinematography is terrific. It's done by the incredible Roger Deakins and he is certainly on his way to another Oscar nomination and maybe his second Oscar win. Some of my favourite scenes were due to the cinematography that made a surreal experience. They really show off the details of the production design and chose wisely the angles they were shooting at to execute certain reveals in a particular way.
As for the story, it's a simple one to follow and to some people it will play out like a video game, which could divide some of the audience. But I was honestly fine with it, as it never detracted my enjoyment.
Plus, the strong performances made up for it and enhance other aspects. It's all thanks to George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman. Them carrying the film is essential to its success and they pull it off nicely. I'm a big fan of MacKay and he continues to never fail me in his talents.
There are big A-listers doing small roles, and Colin Firth, Daniel Meys, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch certainly most of their short time on-screen with memorable scenes.
Yes with some character development, it could have been the total package. But I will still settle for an emotionally charged ride with some jaw-dropping set pieces and making the viewer constantly on the edge for the entire duration.
This film for me really captured the vibe of that lost generation that fought for this country, and I hope it does to you to.
Rating: 8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment