Mel Gibson is back to directing movies after taking a 10 year hiatus and he proves that he is still the best at what he does. Directing "Hacksaw Ridge," Gibson tells the story of Desmond Ross (Andrew Garfield) and his heroic acts during the events of World War II.
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Desmond Ross was a very religious man who wanted to do some good for his country by serving in the military just like his father (Hugo Weaving) once did. The only problem was that he didn't believe in killing so he refused to enter battle with a firearm. Like everyone would expect, his 'brothers' in the army didn't respect him and believed that he wouldn't help them on the battlefield.
He was scheduled to face time in military prison, but he refused to go down without a fight. With his mind set on proving everyone wrong, Desmond pleaded not guilty to "disobeying the orders of a sergeant." After being questioned for the reasons behind his actions, Desmond said he wished to enter the battlefield as a medic without a firearm. He figured that while the Japanese were taking the lives of the American soldiers, he would be saving them. After getting cleared to enter the war, Desmond took "risking your life" to another level and saved 75 men during his time on the Hacksaw Ridge. Desmond Ross was a true 'war hero' and receives the movie he deserves as Gibson tells this war epic in the best way possible.
Andrew Garfield is one of the greatest talents in Hollywood right now, and he proves my statement in this movie. Garfield is absolutely fantastic in his portrayal of 'war hero' Desmond Ross. He was awkward and charming throughout the movie while also being able to show the brave and heroic side of Ross. It was perfect. Garfield is a powerful actor as his performances are always awe-inspiring. I could see Ross's pain through the eyes of Garfield at times during this film, and I've never experienced that with a film nor did I ever think that would be possible. Countless scenes involving Garfield's Desmond Ross struck me emotionally and forced me to hold back my tears. Andrew Garfield needs to win the Oscar for 'Best Actor' this year. He deserves it.
Another important performance was Hugo Weaving as Tom Doss, Desmond's father. Hugo plays a washed up, alcoholic veteran who still suffers from the traumatic experiences of the war he once served in. Weaving had many scenes during the first act of the film but he wasn't very critical to the story during the second and final acts. During his time on screen, he was sensational.
I've been fan of Weaving since The Matrix Trilogy and I was excited to see him in this role. He was so powerful in his performance. Simply put, Hugo Weaving is one of the best parts of this incredible story. He deserves a nomination for 'Best Supporting Actor.'
A surprise casting in this movie was comedian Vince Vaughn. He portrays a drill sergeant that tries his best to make Desmond's life a living hell after he learns that Ross refuses to hold a firearm. At first, I was skeptical of Vaughn in a serious role (due to the fact that I've only seen him in comedies), but I was extremely wrong. He was outstanding in his role of Sgt. Howell. However, make no mistake, he is Vince Vaughn and he had some funny one liners that offered the audience a few laughs.
This movie was so good that once the credits rolled, I started clapping along-side everyone in the theater. I don't remember a moment during this movie where I wasn't genuinely interested with what was going on. From the start, Gibson had my full attention and he deserves a lot of credit for crafting such a powerful cinematic masterpiece. He deserves a nomination for 'Best Director' and the film deserves a nomination for 'Best Picture' and anything else it can possibly be nominated for.
Bravo.
Verdict: 100%
