Why 1917 is a Cinematic Achievement

1917 is a film that I love. But it's beauty lies in the storytelling and not particularly the story. The plot is quite simple and straightforward, setting up the "want" of the characters and the stakes. But the characters' want can feel impersonal, which is why the film brilliantly sets up that one of the soldiers' brother is at risk, which adds a personal connection, giving the characters a much stronger motivation. 

Technically it's perfect. The one take approach doesn't make it feel like a gimmick because it does serve a narrative purpose. Since there are no cuts, the experience is obviously immersive, but also doesn't allow us to breathe. We're in the shoes of the soldiers, and this film captures each and every moment in real time. 

This allows the camera to just linger on a particular shot many times, letting us really process and take in whatever's happening on screen. A moment of pain can be heightened when the film doesn't allow us to look away, and instead we're forced to just sit there and witness everything happening on screen. 

The Cinematography is a standout. Roger Deakins' cinematography never ceases to impress me. The use of lights and shadows are used effectively to create suspense, and just let us sit there in awe at the marvellous framing of the shots. In a scene where the camera follows the 2 soldiers through the trenches, giving it an active presence, it took me mere seconds to realise that there were other soldiers there too. Their uniform and passive nature made it seem like they blended with their environment, which I found quite fascinating. 

Even many other movements are done with purpose. When the soldiers are inside a bunker, to show the geography of the location, a rat appears within the scene, and the camera follows the rat, who runs around the place, giving it a "in universe" reason for the characters to see what the bunker looks like. When something tragic is happening, the camera spins around the characters to visually showcase how their world is spinning out of control. 

Many minute dialogues let us know what the average soldier thinks about the war going on. One soldier remarks something along the lines of, "might as bloody hell given the land to them." Which really hits home about the theme of the film, which is the utter pointlessness of war. And while it certainly isn't a new idea in a war film, it's unique and impressive presentation style makes it fresh from a genre perspective. 

Apart from it's technical mastery and tight focus on a simple plot, 1917 works because it's a very subjective film. You focus only on 2 characters. 2 soldiers. 2 men just doing their job. This makes it easy for the audience to root for them, and to be emotionally engaged with them. We want them to finish the mission. We want them to be safe. And even when the film rarely changes perspective, it's to show the condition of the world around them, which makes the experience more immersive. 

In one of my favourite scenes from the film, "Schofield", our protagonist has ran from place to place and has witnessed tremendous horror. He screams and cries after having to climb on shore using soldiers' corpses as leverage. But right after this, as he heads for the forest, he hears a soothing voice. An almost angelic voice singing. The film changes perspective from Schofield, to a few soldiers just passively listening to the song sung by another soldier. This shift of perspective makes for a neat change of pace. It was quite an impactful scene, and it is moments like these, that make 1917 one of my favourite movies. 

Thank Your for Reading

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