1917: The dismay of war through the camera

Often movie trailers are misleading. It could be of the scene selection or the cut itself, but still, many trailers and teasers usually fail in their own intentions. When you watch the actual film one could say: "Ah, from the trailer it seemed garbage!". (*)  That is exactly what happened to me with "1917", directed by Sam Mendes. Let's talk no more about misleading advertisements and proceed with the analysis

6th April 1917; the German Army retreated strategically, preparing a trap for the British Army. The crown's military foresaw the ambush and decided to send Caporal William Scofield with a message to the attack planner Colonel McKenzie (Benedict Cumberbatch). But to do that Caporal Scofield will have to pass through No Man's Land, with all the danger that war brings with it. 

The movie is a sort of road movie put on display by one sequence shot. Actually, there are some cuts indeed, but they are hidden every time the camera froze on, for example. The really keen choice of a long take combined with incredible cinematography and so many details recurring in the shot makes the audience really involved in the horror which was WW1. The camera is always in the middle of the scene, constantly screaming its presence. For some people that might be a flaw, but the POV of the camera makes the audience even closer to the main character, letting them experience in first person the dismay and the despair that he lives, making the audience suffer with him. The soundtrack and the audio in general highlight this sensation, those are in fact astonishingly made and they are never just there to be a mere background. A final touch on the canvas is made by the acting performances, which are perfect. 

In this short review, I showed why this movie should be watched...and why teasers most of the time should be avoided.

(*) I am speaking about the English and Italian trailers, I don't know if in the other countries was good or not. I have no time to watch all of them, so please understand.

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