Hacksaw Ridge (2016) | One of the Most Powerful War Movies I've Seen

Hello Everyone! Hope you all are doing great.

I watched Hacksaw Ridge (2016) recently, this was honestly one of those movies that left me sitting there for a while after it finished.

I went into it knowing it was a war movie and, I had heard a lot of good things about it before plus I also knew it was based on a true story which made me even more interested. I was not ready for how intense this movie would be. It was also emotional.

Directed by Mel Gibson and starring Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge tells the story of Desmond Doss, a young man who joins the American Army during The landscape of War II but refuses to carry a weapon because of his personal beliefs.

Now, this may seem odd for someone aiming to join the military.

The story is interesting.

I'm keeping this review spoiler free because knowing too much about what happens in this movie can take away from the experience.

SOURCE

The movie starts by introducing us to Desmond before he goes to war.

I actually really liked this part because it gives us time to understand who he is as a person.

So he's not introduced as a fearless action hero but rather a normal young man with strong beliefs & a sense of right and wrong.

When he decides to join the military, he wants to serve his country but he does not want to kill another human being.

Obviously, this creates a huge problem.

The military isn't the easiest place for someone who won't carry a gun.

So a lot of the people around him do not understand him, some think he is weak, some think he is crazy, and others do not trust him.

And honestly, I could understand why.

Imagine being a soldier and learning that one of the men fighting beside you refuses to hold a weapon.

It is difficult to accept.

SOURCE

Andrew Garfield was the biggest surprise for me.

I already knew him from the Spider Man movies, but this is a completely different kind of performance.

As Desmond, he becomes quieter and, more vulnerable.

He doesn't aim to look like the strongest guy.

Instead, he plays Desmond as someone determined but nervous, emotional and sometimes unsure of himself.

And I think that makes the character much more believable.

Desmond gets scared sometimes but keeps going.

That is one of the main things I took from the movie.

Courage is not the absence of fear.

That means you keep doing what you believe is right even when you are afraid.

Andrew Garfield effectively shows that.

SOURCE

The first half of the movie differs from the second half.

The beginning emphasizes Desmond's childhood, his family, his beliefs, and, his experiences during military training.

I enjoyed this because it gives the story a foundation.

You understand why Desmond is the way he is.

You also understand why his decision creates so much conflict with the people around him.

There are difficult scenes during the training section, especially because Desmond is pressured to give up.

Sometimes I felt frustrated watching how he was treated.

But it also made his determination more impressive.

He could have simply walked away.

He could've surrendered.

But he doesn't.

The movie reveals his true nature.

SOURCE

Then the movie shows the battlefield.

And, wow.

This is where Hacksaw Ridge becomes a different experience.

The battle scenes are brutal.

I mean it when I say some scenes were hard to watch.

The movie does not make war look cool.

It looks terrifying.

Smoke covers everything, there are explosions and gunfire, people are screaming, in addition to chaos is everywhere.

People are running in every direction, and you really get the feeling that nobody is safe.

The sound design also gets a lot of credit.

The explosions and, gunfire feel incredibly powerful, especially if you're watching with good speakers or headphones.

There were moments where I felt like I needed a break from the intensity.

That is a compliment to the filmmaking.

SOURCE

Desmond's role in them makes these battle scenes different from most war movies.

He is not there to shoot people.

He saves them.

And that changes the way you look at the battlefield.

Every time he moves through the chaos, you think about what he'll do next.

You know he is putting himself in danger but you understand why he is doing it.

I will not give details to avoid spoilers, but there were moments where I sat on the edge of my seat.

The tension is high.

You keep thinking, "How is this guy still going?"

That is one impressive aspect of the movie.

SOURCE

The supporting cast is strong as well.

Vince Vaughn plays Sergeant Howell, as well as I honestly wasn't expecting his performance to be as good as it was.

He is usually known for comedy, but here serious also aggressive.

Sam Worthington acts in the film, and, Teresa Palmer brings warmth to the story as Dorothy, Desmond's love interest.

The movie belongs to Andrew Garfield.

The entire emotional weight of the story rests on him, and he carries it really well.

You can see Desmond change during the movie without him becoming a different person.

He remains the same person with the same beliefs.

He grows stronger in his ability to stand by them.

SOURCE

The music was good.

The soundtrack builds the film's emotional tone without overpowering the scenes.

During the quieter moments, the music can feel almost peaceful.

The battle sequences get much more intense.

The contrast functions effectively.

Cinematography is excellent.

There are some beautiful shots in this movie, especially when you compare them to the chaos happening on the battlefield.

Mel Gibson shows both sides of war.

There are times of beauty in addition to times of complete horror.

Combining those two elements makes the movie more powerful.

SOURCE

I liked that the movie shows Desmond's beliefs as more than just a simple character trait.

They are tested constantly.

He faces pressure from his fellow soldiers, his superiors also even people close to him.

But the movie does not say everyone else is wrong and Desmond is right.

Instead, it shows the conflict between his beliefs in addition to the environment he's chosen to enter.

That is what makes the story interesting.

He serves his country while staying true to his principles.

And that isn't easy.

SOURCE

Of course, Hacksaw Ridge is not perfect.

Some parts of the story are overly dramatic, and, some characters could have been explored more.

The first half can feel slower than the second half.

But personally, I did not mind that too much.

The slower beginning is important because without it, the battlefield scenes wouldn't have nearly as much emotional impact.

You need to know Desmond before you can fully appreciate what he does later.

Because this is based on a real person, knowing the events were inspired by history makes some scenes even more incredible.

SOURCE

Hacksaw Ridge shows a different view of what being a hero means.

Usually when we think about war heroes, we imagine someone carrying a weapon and defeating the enemy.

Desmond's idea of being a soldier is different.

He aims to save lives.

And, he is willing to put himself in danger to do it.

That does not make him fearless.

His actions are even more courageous because he knows exactly how dangerous the situation is.

There is something very powerful about watching someone refuse to abandon their principles even when everyone around them is telling them to.

SOURCE

After Hacksaw Ridge, I see why this movie gets so much praise.

It is not only a war movie.

It's a story about courage, faith, determination, love and standing by your beliefs.

The action is brutal in addition to well made.

Acting is excellent.

The cinematography is beautiful.

The soundtrack fits the story perfectly.

Andrew Garfield gives a performance that I think is one of the best I've seen from him.

Most importantly, the movie made me think about what courage actually means.

You don't always have to be the strongest person.

You don't have to have the biggest weapon.

Sometimes courage is simply refusing to give up when everything around you is telling you to do exactly that.

Anyway thats it for this post. Please do give your reviews in the comments section below. I would really appreciate it :)

I'll be back with another one soon. So do follow me if you want to stay updated. Till then, Stay Happy and Stay Hydrated.

Rating: 80/100