10 Most Visually Stunning War Films Of All Time
4. 1917 (Roger Deakins)
There has been some backlash since its release to just what level 1917 is worthy of its praise - but the one thing virtually all can agree on is that its main visual conceit, of a single unbroken take across a day and night on the Western Front, is masterfully executed by Roger Deakins.
The veteran British cinematographer picked up his second Academy Award in three years for his work in Sam Mendes' WWI epic and it's not difficult to see why. The film lives and breathes on his vision, arguably more than any other aspect including the performances at its centre. It's a heart-clenching exercise in the agonies of warfare tension and Deakins is its hidden star.
With every shot he lets linger for a second or two beyond any comfortable measure, he heightens the experience of being pulled along through the trenches of a bloodied France with a first-person perspective on the carnage around. Without his work, this film could very well fall; in his hands, it's a piece of visually gripping filmmaking.