1917 Review: 9 Ups & 1 Down

1. The Emotional Finale

No spoilers, but if you were worried about the movie's sheer rollercoaster ride intensity taking away from its emotional thrust, fear not, because the film's final sequence brings things to a close in intensely bittersweet fashion.

Cementing the toll on humanity that war takes while honouring the sacrifices made by those on the front lines, it's an ending sure to leave many wiping tears away, especially with Mendes providing a final dedication to his own grandfather.

While the story might paint in fairly broad strokes, much like Dunkirk it is an inherently affecting story due to the young men we witness being put through the wringer over the course of two hours, and the wider sense of humanity from all the soldiers we meet over the course of the film.

Above all else, it's further proof that technically superlative filmmaking need not sacrifice the human factor or emotion whatsoever.