In a cinematic landscape often saturated with cynical anti-heroes and morally ambiguous narratives, Mel Gibson’s 2016 biographical war drama, Hacksaw Ridge , arrived as a defiant anomaly. It is a film that dares to preach, that dares to glorify pacifism within the most violent of settings, and that utilizes the visceral horror of combat to elevate a story of singular faith. Released a decade after Gibson’s previous directorial effort, the film not only marked a resurgence for the controversial filmmaker but also stood as one of the most powerful war films of the 21st century.
Garfield avoids playing Doss as a generic saint. Instead, he portrays him as a man who is almost frustratingly stubborn, yet charmingly earnest. His physicality in the battle scenes is crucial; he is not a warrior gliding through combat, but a terrified man scrambling through dirt, dragging bodies, and praying with every step. hacksaw ridge 2016
Unlike Saving Private Ryan , which is clean in its geography, Hacksaw Ridge is claustrophobic. The camera is always shoulder-height, mud splattering the lens. You cannot tell who is screaming. You cannot tell who is American or Japanese until the bayonet goes in. In a cinematic landscape often saturated with cynical
Hacksaw Ridge is a war film that hates war and loves soldiers. Mel Gibson directs with Old Hollywood melodrama and New Hollywood brutality—a strange, potent mix. Andrew Garfield gives a career-defining performance, and the final real-life footage of Doss himself will leave you in tears. Garfield avoids playing Doss as a generic saint