It’s been a decade since Mel Gibson has directed a film. Since that time, he’s had a series of unfortunate antics, but I believe his career will be on the rebound after his latest effort, Hacksaw Ridge. Simply put, this is one of the best films of the year and one of the best war films in recent years.
It stars Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss, a Seventh-Day Adventist living in Lynchburg, Virginia who signs up to fight in WWII. He does under the strict conviction that he will not take a life much less touch a weapon. His hope was to sign up so he could become a field medic, so instead of taking lives, he would be saving them.
Once he arrives at basic training, Doss faces persecution and ridicule from his fellow soldiers who believe he’s a coward. His persecution is further reinforced by his drill sergeant (Vince Vaughan) and his CO (Sam Worthington).
In a gut-wrenching performance, Hugo Weaving costars as Doss’ alcoholic, abusive father who doesn’t want his son to have the same experiences he had in WWI. Weaving’s performance is so tragic that at once we cringe yet sympathize for him. It’s Best Supporting Actor worthy.
Eventually, Doss is court-martialed, but is relieved and given orders to go to Okinawa without a single weapon to protect him. He also says his goodbyes to his wife Dorothy, (Teresa Palmer).
Once we hit Okinawa is when Gibson’s typical unrelenting violence takes center stage. The battle sequences are brutal, bloody, relentless, and extremely tough to sit through. Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop Doss from saving close to 75 lives single-handedly.
Gibson, Garfield, and the rest of the cast are confident enough to take their time with this material and give it the respect it deserves. The scenes before establishing Doss are well-acted and convincing, basic training provides typical montages seen in other war films, and Gibson’s vision of war could rival Saving Private Ryan.
Above all, this movie celebrates the spirit of conviction even under persecution and adversity. Garfield’s performance has so much heart and believability, you can’t take your eyes off him. It also contains a lot of Gibson trappings: Graphically realistic warfare, overtones focusing on spirituality, and passionate, absorbing filmmaking.
Regardless of your own personal feelings about Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge is a powerful and effective experience from start to finish.
Grade: A
(Rated R for intense prolonged realistically graphic sequences of war violence including grisly bloody images.)
