Hacksaw Ridge
4.5/5
Directed by: Mel Gibson
Rated: R
"You have heard it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment" (Matthew 5:21-22, NIV). These words struck a young man living in 1943, and even though it was a time of war, he would not break the rules of his religion. He desired to fight for his country on distant Japanese shores, but he would not fire a bullet. On his days in combat, instead of taking lives he saved them. Hacksaw Ridge is the emotionally gripping true story of war medic and decorated Medal of Honor veteran Private Desmond Doss, and the 75 lives he saved without a rifle by his side.
Portraying the life of Desmond Doss on the silver screen is no easy task. To begin with, Doss himself was always unsure about letting movie studios use his story. Doss' son, Desmond Jr. told People Movies “The reason [his father] declined is that none of [the studios] adhered to his one requirement: that it be accurate." Most of the film is historically accurate and all of it is founded in Doss' beleifs. This is because Gibson's goal from the start of pre production was to do Doss' story justice and give the credit to whom credit is due.
One of the hardest challenges of making this incredible war story was finding the right actor to portray Doss, but this too was overcome. According to IMDb.com "Desmond Jr. attended [Garfield's] screening and was moved to tears by [his] accurate portrayal of his dad." Garfield's performance is filled with light hearted humor at his home in Virginia, and unrelenting perseverance on the plains of Hacksaw. What gives heart to Doss' character is his foundation of faith. His choice to follow the Good Book instead of the rule book is what motivates his actions through training and combat. Hacksaw Ridge will cement the name Desmond Doss in the minds of audiences everywhere, and they will pray alongside him for miracles, and cheer for the victories he was able to achieve.
In order to give vitality to the true story behind the conscientious objector and war medic, Gibson and screenwriter Robert Schenkkan did extensive research on Doss' life in the army. In an article by Time Entertainment, Schenkkan stated he based the story "on military records and footage of interviews with Doss, though finding ample material proved challenging because his subject’s modesty made him averse to the limelight."
The screenplay for Hacksaw Ridge focuses on three main points, Doss' Christian values, the horrors of war, and the men Doss risked his life to save from the bombarded plains of Hacksaw Ridge. While all three of these elements are strongly emphasized in the story, they are not always in balance with each other. There were whole five minute chunks of bloody war footage, and Private Doss is nowhere to be found. After this brief hiatus from the main protagonist, he arrives back on screen and arrests the eyes of audiences all they way to the film's magnificent conclusion.
Doss' heroics on the battlefield are magnified by Gibson's scenes of the casualties of war. It is visceral, bloody, and will make the squeamish cringe. In an article by People Movies, a veteran from Okinawa stated, “It was graphic...When you’ve been there, that’s what it’s like.” It's not glorified or dignified. It injects the narrative with dramatic tension, fills the performances with genuine fear of death, and gives audiences a reason to applaud for this masterful film. After all, Hacksaw Ridge "received a standing ovation lasting nine minutes and 48 seconds at the Venice Film Festival" (IMDb.com).
Verdict: Hacksaw Ridge is a masterful heaven of a biopic (because it certainly ain't Hell), with an engaging performance by Andrew Garfield and haunting imagery from Mel Gibson's direction.
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