Hacksaw Ridge

[PEVO]

Went to see the movie yesterday and found it not disappointing. Most every explosion was a typical gas can of flames and masses of troops squeezed together obviously not so realistic, but for cinema's needs had to be done to get enough people in the frame. Even Saving Pvt. Ryan had them too closely grouped together for the same reason. The most notable but minor slip-up to me was the court marshall scene where two or three officers had good conduct ribbons and I don't imagine them being former EM's. Doss's unique CO character was well established from the beginning and well portrayed I feel. At the end it was very good to have clips of the actual people speaking-including Doss himself- as it definitely adds to the what was just depicted similar to Band of Brothers interviews. It makes me want to know more about how he actually pulled off the truly unbelieveable feat of rescuing an amazing number of men without being killed. His accomplishment deserves MUCH more publicity for such determination to save life, not take. He offered up his life yet survived.

X2 on the Gas Can explosions....and everyone bunched up into small areas to get em into the screen shots.

[Ross Lee]

It was ok but could but could tell it was filmed in oz in many of the scenes.They used a small battlefield and sense of space was reduced with all the troops far too bunched up.Ridge looked like an old quarry.A fair effort but yet another near miss for me on the war movie front.Looking forward to see what Dunkirk will be like.

[Mauser888]

Just rented a copy from my local Redbox. Great story and a great human being. There is a reason what those Men are known as "The Greatest Generation"

[Hofstetter]

Wow I'd be interested to know which war movies you like, or think are better
(that is to you guys that didn't think it was so good)

[101combatvet]

I'm not a fan of actor Andrew Garfield so I was expecting to hate this movie considering he's in nearly every scene but I was actually pleasantly surprised. The beginning does drag on a little with Garfield doing his usual annoying wide eyed Bambi routine but that's all forgotten once the action starts. The battle scenes are impressive although I agree that the area in which it all happens does feel a bit too condensed, like the size of a football pitch. It's not the greatest war movie ever, not even in the top 10 on my list but I enjoyed it none the less.

Which, by the way, is more than I say of Brad's new movie "Allied" which is a complete turd and one to avoid at all costs!

I agree on the lead role, they could have done better in that department.

[Glenn66]

X2 on the Gas Can explosions....and everyone bunched up into small areas to get em into the screen shots.

x3...totally unrealistic depiction of HE IMO.

I've read the battle scene area had to have dirt built up into walls around it so the gum trees weren't in shot. That's what you get for filming a Japanese island movie just outside of Sydney I suppose. It was the lucrative government 'incentives' that brought Mel and team to shoot in Australia in the first place.

[rajko84]

Great movie. We did not have a good war movie in some time now. Plus it is a true story.

[kaiserwilhelm2]

I very much enjoyed it. Definitely an extraordinary man.

[DwightPruitt]

Typical Mel Gibson movie. They got Doss' story wrong ( or ignored it to make a better "story") in many respects. Doss never held a gun on his father, didn't meet his wife in a hospital, she wasn't a nurse when they met, they married before he entered active duty, so there wasn't any left at the altar scene, he didn't enlist, but was drafted, there was no dramatic court martial where his father appeared wearing his WWI uniform, but a more mundane psychiatric hearing, Okinawa wasn't his or the 77th's first combat as told in the movie, he had seen combat at Guam and Leyte beforehand, and finally, the movie did not show his last great act of heroism where he crawls 300m to the aid station after giving up his litter to a more seriously wounded man.

As said before, Doss' true story is much better than this movie lets on. The movie almost seems to be a remake of "Sergeant York" than anything else.

It's Hollywood.

[Kelly w]

Bought the DVD with the doc extras. Been quite awhile since a movie moved me a bit. I think what he did was amazing and it came across well even from the canned in frame shots.

[Kelly w]

I know I'm late to the game with this movie but I purposely did not watch or read anything online but the trailer on this as I wanted to see it first.

As I watched this I thought the first third of the movie before he shipped to the island was over done with by Hollywood. Amazed to see it was a huge part in real life.

Here is the only link I can find on his service it describes it well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5JVQt-C8YE

[Thälmannpionier]

watched last night....a GREAT movie and a MUST SEE!

[Kelly w]

Yup it's a keeper, watched it again, cool story from start to finish even if it's not 100% on actual facts.

Must say it's determination to help the infantry company that they let him stay in the unit. ONE question not answered by Doss, was what would he do if a group of enemy soldiers came on him and a wounded soldier, just die? He was lucky & brave I say.

[Tom B]

Great Movie !!!!

[Totenhead]

Watched it tonight, enjoyed it. An amazing man indeed