Suyash Jain

”Honestly Corporal, some men just want the fight.” - Captain Smith, 1917. A true cinematic marvel. It isn’t very often an experience to come for a movie where you’re tip toeing throughout the brief 119 minutes of its’ screen time. The adrenaline pumping soul-trembling movie about the first world war, 1917, is truly one to earn this credit to its’ name. From the beginning till the credits rolled, the movie sets the scene for the audience both grasping, wishing for a faster sequencing of events - as well as for more time to digest the freezing landscape of the fiery battlefield. Despite watching a 2 dimensional rendition, the setting was truly mind baffling and major episodes throughout were marked with immense immersive experiences. Following flying bullets, explosive mines, shattered homes and millions of dreams - we sat amidst a true back to the heart-breaking reminder that humanity can be often laced with inexplicable cruelty. To make things even more nerve wrecking- the entire movie appears to be shot in single cut. The exceptional soundtracks accompanying the tremor inducing horrors of the 4 year long tussle were perfectly combed with the strong narration of events. Power packed with a truly strong story line, there was little to none background information on the exceptional and young protagonists - the lance corporals played on screen by Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay! Starring as a true cherry on the top of this beautifully iced and tastefully baked sequential narrative of the first world war, were the immensely loved and much less expected appearances of Benedict Cumberbatch and Richard Madden. Obviously, the crowd was in jitters, as I sat there in tears, watching the heart-wrenching struggle of two young men, delivering a message that would change the course of hundreds of lives. Sam Mendes, thank you for your exceptional direction of this brilliant story - 1917. -Suyash Jain