By Mac Spain
Its awards season folks and one of the biggest award ceremonies of all them all is right around the corner, the Oscars! It’s also become a running theme to have an array of films conveniently released around the same time, and that are based on true events. These film’s more or less guarantee themselves a win at the Oscars, or at the very least a nomination. But it’s frustrating because a lot of the time I feel like these films are only held in high regard due to the nature of what their depicting, and nothing to do with whether the film’s actually any good or not… See I always thought that the point of the Oscars was to celebrate the best of the best, the cream of the crop! Instead it just seems like they pander to society out of fear from the backlash they could potentially receive by overlooking a film with delicate subject matter.
Hacksaw Ridge is very much one of those films that appears to only exist as bait for the Oscars. It’s based on WWII American Army Medic, Desmond T. Doss who served during the Battle of Okinawa and refused to kill or even touch a weapon. He became the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honour without firing a single shot, it’s an incredible story and believe me when I say that I’m not for a second belittling the man’s story, he’s a hero, truly. However I couldn’t help but feel as though the entire first half of this film was just the remains scraped from a toilet in Hollywood, it was just so over-dramatized.
Hacksaw Ridge is directed by Mel Gibson whose films have been rather polarising and him as a person even more so! But let’s not get into that. A number of critics had been pinning Hacksaw Ridge as the film to return Mel to his former glory. Having now seen it myself I can say that there is plenty on offer that will surely astonish most viewers, once you get past that cheesy first act of course. Is it enough to excuse Mel from a history of racial outbursts and other such unpleasantries? I think not, but there’s no doubt about it, the man knows how to direct.
The battle scenes were relentlessly visceral and I’d even go as far as to compare it with the iconic Normandy beach scene from Saving Private Ryan. You’d feel anxious enough watching the protagonist cross over that ridge fully armed, so without a single weapon on his person it’s unbearable, and yet you won’t be able to look away. On the whole I’d say Andrew Garfield turned in a strong performance, Vince Vaughn was good, and even Sam Worthington! Wow….never thought I’d say that. So Hacksaw Ridge earns itself a 7/10 sadly let down by a lacklustre first act. Next week I’ll be reviewing John Wick 2 starring Keanu Reeves.
