Come To Daddy

This review may contain spoilers!

A delightfully well-made gore/horror that loses itself significantly less than halfway through the feature. I would give Come To Daddy a 6.5/10.

Come To Daddy follows a young man, Norval, who is invited to reconnect with his absentee father in a remote beachside cabin. The film has a really unique narrative style, blending mounting thriller elements with a very witty sense of humour. This especially works strongly in the films brilliant first act which explores the disjointed relationship between Norval and his father. The dynamic between these two characters is a blend of really complex emotions, nervousness, a desire to impress, vulnerability, indifference and a violent sense of disdain. I think the film examines this strange relationship in a way that is wholly unique and quite simply the defining strength of the feature. The cinematography for the film is stunning, taking advantage of stylistic sets to show enchanting and attentive detail. The score for the film is a light poignant melody that grows gradually discordant as the plot progresses, it is a musical descent that really does wonders for the tone.

Elijah Wood, who played Norval Greenwood, is a really fascinating protagonist who seems desperate to achieve his onscreen father's acceptance or approval; Wood is uncertain and not the most confident characters which craft a very grounded and relatable role. Garfield Wilson, who played Ronald Plum, is extremely entertaining as the fairly incompetent police officer; Wilson's intentional mismanagement of dealing with grief creates one of my favourite scenes of the film.

However, the best performance came from Stephen McHattie, who played Gordon. McHattie is a very stoic, intimidating presence who sets you at edge almost immediately. I found myself trying to read McHattie and who he actually was throughout the feature and I liked that he was impassive enough that it was hard to really know. The moments of connection between him and Wood seem like an extreme effort for McHattie, there isn't a chemistry there so much as an understanding. This approach to forging a relationship works wonders for what we ultimately come to understand about the two roles. Gordon is an unpredictable drunk who leaps to violence and suffers no fools, he never really feels like a father figure and in a lot of ways it's probably the most honest thing about Gordon we come to understand.

The film really suffers once we come to understand the 'big twist' about the truth of Norval's father, both his identity and his past. I felt let down because up until that point the film had been delivering a really complex character study of a father/son relationship; suddenly I was left with a slasher thriller in which our main protagonist was slowly and methodically picking off a small band of criminals. This fight for survival storyline was very derivative and didn't offer any surprises. At this point the film being so humorous started counting against it too, the antagonists came across as witless goons who didn't possess the ability to intimidate the audience. The editing for the film set a pace that tended to be slower than the film really needed to be, cuts took too long to happen and the run time really stretched out.

Madeleine Sami, who played Gladys, is very monotonous in her approach to her coroner role; the chemistry between her and Wood feels a bit forced and Sami isn't given enough opportunity to work in some comedy which would have been her strength. Martin Donovan, who played Brian, is extremely bland as Wood's onscreen biological father; Donovan only manages to embrace one type of supportive mood and conforms to a generic father figure persona. Michael Smiley, who played Jethro, is the films main antagonist and probably the one most in need of a recast; Smiley is supposed to be the biggest threat of the lot but he approaches every scene with his comedic foot forward which really undercuts the essence of most of his scenes.

Sonic The Hedgehog

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I have little else to say except this is one of the family live-action cinematic events of the year. I would give Sonic The Hedgehog a 7.5/10.

Sonic The Hedgehog follows the title character, who has been forced to leave his home dimension and has made his way to Earth, where he has lived in hiding for several years. When the government discovers evidence of Sonic they send Dr. Robotnik to capture the super fast rodent and bring him in for study. With the help of a small town sheriff, Sonic must stay one step ahead of the evil doctor and escape Earth for a safer dimension. This film was pretty special to me because it had heart in spades, it really new how to depict onscreen friendships that felt meaningful and easy to connect with. The developing friendship between Sonic and Tom was so pleasant to see play out and evolve, this is a pair of characters looking to run away from what is essentially their home and it's such a heartfelt connection that enables them to stay. I really liked how aware of itself this film was, it knew that Sonic as a character was going to come off as quite camp, and at times cheesy and so it didn't go to great lengths to be taken too seriously. This meant that the film had a sense of humour that enhanced the narrative, a cast of characters who could deliver some really entertaining dialogue and scenes that I will not forget any time soon because I was laughing so much. This film really knew how to balance a genuine tale of little hero against big threat villain with a genuinely comedic script. The cinematography really enhanced the visual effects heavy film, mapping dialogue and action scenes with it's CGI lead in a gripping way. The visual effects for the film are worth applauding, especially after the Sonic design was completely overhauled and redone in such an appealing way.The soundtrack for the film is a lot of fun and greatly enhances the comedy in a number of scenes, while the score bolsters the action-blockbuster elements in quite the epic manner.

Ben Schwartz, who voiced Sonic the Hedgehog, is a lot of fun as the main leading role; Schwartz puts a lot of energy, passion and excitement into the character and I think that made for a role I was constantly engaged in. Tika Sumpter, who played Maddie Wachowski, has a lot of chemistry with Marsden and the pair feel like a genuine supportive couple; I also really liked Sumpter's more sarcastic approach to comedic delivery as it brought a new edge to some scenes. James Marsden, who played Tom Wachowski, Lee Majdoub, who played Agent Stone, was a nice foil who worked well alongside Carrey's leading antagonist; Majdoub had a calm, mild manner that complimented Carrey's more over the top performance to great effect. Adam Pally, who played Billy Robb, is just in his element as one of the films leading sources of comedic relief; Pally playing a completely befuddled deputy who is in a bit over his head is such a genuinely funny role to watch. Natasha Rothwell, who played Rachel, really embraces the meanstreak of her disapproving sister-in-law character; Rothwell's character is certainly quick to throw the boot at her onscreen brother-in-law and has some real gems of dialogue that make her side character stand out.

However, the best performance came from Jim Carrey, who played Dr. Ivo Robotnik. It was nice to see Carrey back in a role that let him play to full zany effect while also maintaining a really engaging character. This character has an exorbitant ego that he constantly wields as a weapon and a point of pride, the levels of self-satisfaction we go through are pretty funny to watch. I also found the way Carrey delivered lines was quite interesting, it was hard to tell what intent you were going to get from him in a scene and he played things in a random, unpredictable fashion to keep you guessing. I was fully hooked on Carrey's Robotnik as a leading antagonist; you really believed he was this vindictive narcissist who could back up any threat he laid down. Carrey is as naturally comedic as ever but can still lay down one of the most interesting character performances of the year on top of that.

Sonic The Hedgehog is going to be one of the more entertaining family films I've seen this year but it still falls prey to some of the lazier plot points of these types of movies. I often felt the set up for the feature left a lot to be desired; while Sonic and Tom are so great to watch throughout, the manner in which they come together feels pretty flimsy. There are multiple points where you wonder at Tom's motivations and it's hard to see why he sticks around other than to serve the plot initially. While I also enjoyed the humour the film does manage to work in a lot of corny material that can oversaturate or just flat out ruin some scenes. The film sets a low bar for itself, dealing with robotic adversaries and the villain using the heroes own power against him, but these tired elements are at odds with a script that obviously shows a lot of passion and wit.

Birds Of Prey

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I'm tired of seeing bad films adapted from DC Comics, there is no reason to just throw a half-baked idea into production and hope it sticks. I would give Birds Of Prey a 3/10.

Birds Of Prey is the latest film from the DCEU, focusing on Harley Quinn's fate after Suicide Squad and her subsequent break-up with the Joker. In this adventure Harley and an unlikely team of anti-heroines band together to protect a young pickpocket from the wrath of a murderous Gotham crime lord. The action sequences for this feature are staggeringly good, a number of fight sequences felt unique and really well-pieced together for maximum effect. The cinematography for the film wasn't hafl bad either, there were some really interesting shots that often highlighted the more intensive and outlandish comic book elements. The soundtrack for Birds Of Prey was the real highlight however, I'm still heavily invested in a number of the tunes that really hook you in.

Chris Messina, who played Victor Zsasz, is the creepy dangerous counterpart to McGregor's Sionis; Messina plays well as this manipulating puppeteer who leechs off his partner's criminal enterprise.

However, the best performance came from Ewan McGregor, who played Roman Sionis. This role is presented as a composed, sophisticated crime boss at first who holds more of a hand as an entertainer than an enforcer. Yet it doesn't take long before McGregor reveals just how psychotic Sionis can be. This is a person who is entirely consumed by appearance and ownership, just a minor blemish against him can result in the death of a prisoner or a hysterical rage. I thought his relationship with Messina was very well done, their co-dependence on one another was a nice touch and McGregor played to being manipulated well. I think the real strength from this performance came from the fact that I could laugh in hysterics as he lavishly flaunted his wealth in a trivial manner but at the same time feel afraid of the character as he mercilessly threatens a patron at his club. This role was a saving grace that deserved more.

I can't honestly get onboard with the script for this film, it has to be one of the laziest attempts DC has done yet. The entire film wants so badly to be a Harley Quinn film you have to wonder why they bothered with the Birds of Prey characters at all; they certainly didn't commit to using them very often. For the majority of the feature Harley Quinn narrates everything that is happening to the audience as it's happening, in some places before it even happens. It's one of the big rules of storytelling: show, not tell. But for most of Birds Of Prey I was left having every aspect of the plot spoon-fed to me, worse than that was the monologues of exposition a number of scenes were filled with. Rather than tell us everything about the character through overbearing narration I would have preferred to see some of the side characters engage in conversation about their backstory, maybe even see scenes of the backstory. I imagine the film was prioritising the so-called main story but I wish they at least had something to show for that. The entire first act was just spent explaining Harley's state as a character and it took ages before we got into the hunt for this big, important diamond everyone wants. The big diamond/Cassandra Cain hunt is the loose character thread that draws everyone together but it feels boring and circumstantial. The scene in which Cain pickpockets this item comes together pretty poorly and it feels unbelievable that the films main events kick off because of this. By the time the team comes together you aren't really engaged in the Birds of Prey because none of them have had much screen time aside from Harley and Cassandra. Ultimately the film deals away with the main bad in a pretty disappointing way and the film ties up with, what else? A closing block of fantabulous narration from one Harley Quinn. Honestly if you want to see a half decent adaptation of Harley Quinn, go watch her new animated series, it's one of the best mature comedy shows out at the moment.

Margot Robbie, who played Harley Quinn, didn't really get the role in Suicide Squad and hasn't come along much; Robbie only plays to the craziness of her character when it suits the comedy of the scene but otherwise all we got was a pretty bad portrayal of a boozy kleptomaniac wearing the latest from Hot Topic. Rosie Perez, who played Renee Montoya, is constantly teased for being a stereotype in this film which would be amusing if it wasn't true; Perez deadpans more cliches than I have fingers or toes. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who played the Huntress, is absolutely wasted away for nearly the majority of the film; Winstead didn't get a chance to even flesh out her role until the third act and by then she just got to play to one emotion and a garbled backstory. Jurnee Smollett-Bell, who played Black Canary, just doesn't feel like she has the presence for such a leading role; Smollett-Bell never gives you anything to make her role stand out and instead plays more comfortably in the background of a scene. Ella Jay Basco, who played Cassandra Cain, is probably one of the worst young performers I've seen in a recent film; Basco has no range and little chemistry with the rest of the cast, preferring instead to wander around with her mouth half open as if she accidentally wandered onto the set.

Seberg

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Far from the most arresting civil rights film I've seen, this is still a feature with an ensemble cast that deliver a powerful collective performance. I would give Seberg a 6.5/10.

Seberg is a biopic focusing on Jean Seberg, a French New Wave actress who became involved with the Black Panther group and, in doing so, became the victim of an FBI smear campaign against her. This film is most interesting when it focuses upon how the FBI infiltrated Seberg's life, intentionally causing scandal to humiliate and ultimately ruin her reputation. There is this brilliant sense of mounting paranoia as you see the lengths the FBI is willing to go to keep Seberg under surveillance, contrasted really well by the mania and anxiety Seberg becomes consumed by as she continues to be harassed. It's a perverse story to the backdrop of the civil rights movement that is certainly intriguing. I also found it really noteworthy how this film took a stance on fighting against discrimination through education, it really laid its argument out well through the narrative. The score for this film is a beautiful sombre piece that conducts the audience through the passage of Seberg's downward spiral, a very neat piece of music that I didn't expect from this film.

Kristen Stewart, who played Jean Seberg, really found one of her best roles yet in this features title role; Stewart had this confident streak that really gotten shaken and broken down throughout the feature. Yvan Attal, who played Romain Gary, was really interesting as the quietly supportive separated partner; Attal's had a mild manner towards scenes where his role grew upset that I thought was unique and showed calculating restraint. Margaret Qualley, who played Linette Solomon, really pushed O'Connell and unearthed the conflict in their shared storyline; Qualley really highlighted some of the issues a progressive women seeking education had to face in the 60s as well. Colm Meaney, who played Frank Ellroy, was a no nonsense stoic leader in the FBI; Meaney was very dispassionate and showed no remorse in creating antagonism for the title role. Vince Vaughn, who played Carl Kowalski, was a veteran FBI agent who served as a strong antagonist for the film; his disregard for decency and abusive manner towards his family created an oppressive presence throughout. Zazie Beetz, who played Dorothy Jamal, showed genuine passion towards a lot of the films messages around fighting for the future through education; Beetz also really seized onto the conflict between her and Stewart which lead to some of my favourite scenes in the film.

However. the best performance came from Anthony Mackie, who played Hakim Jamal. I think you can see the quiet passion Mackie puts into each and every role he portrays in this character, there is a steady resilience here that is present throughout. When first we are introduced to Mackie you get the bold stance against inequality towards black people and see him as a stoic, firm leader for the Black Panther group. Yet as the film carries on you don't fail to notice just how intelligent this man is, quietly conducting arguments about how to successfully fight your rights for future generations. The character is part of a spontaneous affair with Stewart's Seberg and the pair play off one another quite well, Mackie has a more playful chemistry in these scenes that enhances the relationship. This role was certainly one of the more engaging characters to watch.

While I found significant aspects of Seberg intriguing I think the film suffered overall from major pacing issues, quite simply because there just wasn't that much story to tell.Between the major scenes and plot points of the film there were a number of empty scenes that failed to achieve anything, or empty aesthetic sequences that added nothing at all to the film. The film never truly made a strong push for why the story mattered, it gave a very simple presentation of the events and then cut to black. My biggest problem with the film was some of the more dramatic tailoring of the events; adding the FBI agent with a redeeming side to him was a bit much. I thought the scene in which he interacts with Jane Seberg at the end of the film was particularly bad, it felt so far removed from reality that I was entirely drawn out of the narrative. The cinematography for the film really had a lack of vision to it, there were so many shots that felt bland or predictable. The editing for the feature didn't fair much better, it pushed the film towards a slower pace that really dragged things out. The soundtrack for Seberg wasn't the most inspired collection of songs, the tracks felt a little niche and never added a lot to the scenes they were used in.

Jack O'Connell, who played Jack Solomon, was quite disappointing as the lead for the FBI storyline; it often felt like O'Connell never found the true nature of his role and so wound up playing things quite inconsistently. Stephen Root, who played Walt Breckman, is a bit of an attaché to Stewart's scenes but never displays much screen presence; Root has a very mild presence and doesn't find anything engaging in his role to present.

Underwater

This review may contain spoilers!

This film imitates the Alien films so blatantly that it is quite frankly shameless. I would give Underwater a 4.5/10.

Underwater sees an advanced underwater drilling station devastated by a mysterious underwater earthquake that only leaves a fraction of the crew alive. The lone six survivors must now rely on their skills and each other to cross the ocean floor, reach the next exploration outpost and survive the creatures that seem to be hunting them. While the feature suffers consistently in regards to plot and dialogue there is no denying that this is one stellar example of a monster film. Underwater does a really good job at establishing and presenting something otherworldly and alien to the audience, enough to get you intrigued. The interest only grows as you begin to see snatches of the monster and realise that what you're seeing isn't limited to one creature. But all of this by no means prepares you for the big reveal around the monster come the end of the film, it was one of the only instances in which the feature both met and then exceeded my expectations. The special effects that accompanied the monsters was very well done, it felt like the vision around what they wanted to achieve with that was the driving force of the film and in that regard it paid off.

Kristen Stewart, who played Nora, does a reasonable job as the leading protagonist; Stewart suffers when she has to play more stoic but when she's delivering fear, a desperate scrabble for survival or just plain empathy then you get to see some of her better skill set shine through.

However, the best performance came from T.J. Miller, who played Paul. From the moment this role comes onscreen he provides something different tonally from the rest of the cast; not just a strong sense of humour but a persistent presence in the eyes of the audiences. Miller didn't let the camera play over him and move on, he was constantly switched on and coming at each scene with high energy. This character was definitely the film's comedy, he quick-delivery quips were absolutely brilliant and unrelenting. This was a role that the performer found the fun in inhabiting and allowed you to enjoy that too, a significant reason why Miller stands out.

Jessica Henwick, who played Emily, is a very flighty role wrapped up into a romantic subplot that no one leaves the theatre caring about; Henwick's role is never given much definition and I struggle to describe her actual purpose in the film. Vincent Cassel, who played the Captain, is a stoic role who seems to be completely devoid of the ability to portray emotions; Cassel blankly delivers exposition and repetitive dialogue right up till his exit and it is by far the laziest performance of the bunch. John Gallagher Jr., who played Smith, is by far the most forgettable member of the main cast; barring a pretty bland spouting of some exposition and machismo Gallagher Jr. spends most of the film flat on his back in the background. Mamoudou Athie, who played Rodrigo, really sets quite a mild beginning to the film; Athie is one of the first roles we meet and he is quite unimpressionable and continues to be so until the end of the first act.

Underwater really feels like a lazy script for the greater majority of the film, the base structure of the feature is almost completely a carbon copy of the Alien film and there are several instances throughout the story where plot details from Alien are utilised directly. Everything throughout the film happens out of circumstance or poor explanations; the film staggers through why the captain stays behind or that the whole facility is compromised for instance. The main cast of characters are a bunch of extremely stoic individuals who lack personality and never really matter much to the story unless they're the main role. Each character comes equipped with a particular backstory or relationship but once again the script doesn't do a great effort at explaining these so you're left to piece it all together yourself, only to discover it never really matters to the plot. The film really only evidenced a majority of extremely questionable exposition or straight up bad personal dialogue between characters. Underwater was a film that placed most of its budget into visual effects but still lacked the money to impress in every shot, you got a strong sense of the camera early on when it began pulling away from a more interesting angle to keep within the realms of possibility. The score for this film might very well not have existed, the tracks were so very few and far between that some scenes just felt like they weren't achieving what they wanted in terms of tone.

Bombshell

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This film had an incredibly serious topic it wanted to discuss and it never found a consistent way to present it. I would give Bombshell a 6.5/10.

Bombshell is a fictitious investigation about the sexual harassment cases lodged against former Fox News head, Roger Ailes. I think this film takes a while to get where it's going but once we get intothe second act the narrative hikes up in a big way. The film pauses to really lay out the unsafe work environment Ailes has created in order to sexually exploit young female workers, it becomes this mounting horror show of visual horrors and testimonials that will really rock you even if you are familiar with the source material. I found the multiple viewpoints that previously seem disjointed in the film start lining up well in order to give you the full picture of what the investigation into Ailes means, how it affects the culture at Foxs News and what it prompts to bring out in other workers. You feel like you're watching a set of scales suddenly tipping, the balance of the well oiled machine presented at the beginning of the film slowly tipping as more of the rotting interior is revealed.

John Lithgow, who played Roger Ailes, is a very compelling antagonist for this feature; Lithgow holds a controlling and erratic presence that makes him all the more dangerous in those hard to watch scenes. Kate McKinnon, who played Jess Carr, is a very blunt realist who provides one of the best glimpses into how Fox News operates; McKinnon's portrayal of someone who's true identity is at risk while working at Fox News was a fascinating watch. Mark Duplass, who played Doug Brunt, is one of the few redeeming performers in the Megyn Kelly storyline; his role as a compassionate source of advice lead to some of the nicer scenes.

However, the best performance came from Margot Robbie, who played Kayla Pospisil. This is one of the weirdest positions I've been in for a best performance slot because I really felt how abundantly clear it was that Kayla wasn't real from the roughshod writing in this film, however what Robbie did in spite of the script is exceptional. The character of Kayla first enters a little aloof, she does make a few bumbling errors and she doesn't come across as the smartest member on her staff. But Robbie reveals a neat cunning streak to the character, we see her make several wily moves to advance to the top in a multitude of ambitious scenes. I liked the depiction both Robbie and McKinnon did of a same-sex relationship in a workplace where that would be very dangerous, it felt like a true connection and both actresses had massive amounts of chemistry with one another. The scenes leading to Robbie being harassed and violated by Lithgow's Ailes were extremely hard to watch, it was a number of scenes in which Robbie really revealed fear and a type of vulnerability you never want anyone to experience. I was glad this film got the opportunity to show this role rejecting the work environment she was abused within and triumphantly walk away from them.

This film often falls into the trap of being aware it has an important story to tell but having absolutely no direction on how to tell it. The framing of events in the first act is very dry and only serves to separate out the main characters from one another, making the plot feel very disjointed early on. A number of tricks have been pulled that a few political biopics have done in recent years: fourth wall-breaking, delivering exposition directly to camera, using an outrage moment of comedy to highlight an unsettling reality to name a few. But, the problem becomes that the film doesn't seem confident in using these aspects enough; instead one of these conventions may appear and then we on't see it used again for nearly half an hour. The style just isn't consistent and it becomes a very disruptive film to watch in that regard. I was disappointed that the film painted such a clear cut and definitive silver lining ending, making it feel like a problem that was entirely resolved when it so clearly wasn't. Another major issue was that this was a film peppered with dislikeable roles who never really become more palatable as the feature progresses, the worst example of this is Roger Ailes. The antagonist for this film should be someone really vilified for nurturing a culture of sexual harassment but instead the film paints him in a sympathetic light at times even near the end of the feature which strongly conflicted with the overall message. The cinematography tries to play with a fast and loose mockumentary-esque style, but the film is so straight-edge in its delivery that it never really connects with what we;re watching. The editing for the film sets a slow pace and there are many scenes which linger far too long on a given shot or sequence. The score for the film enhances a couple of key scenes but otherwise it was highly forgettable, leaving me with the impression that the film really did not know how to capture tone.

Charlize Theron, who played Megyn Kelly, committed strongly to the role's accent and that was probably the biggest mistake; Theron 's role comes off as very flat and monotonous to listen to marking this as one of the worst protagonist roles she's portrayed. Nicole Kidman, who played Gretchen Carlson, is hard to like as the face of the movement against Lithgow's Ailes; this role feels very self-serving yet also is held up as a symbol for women united and the two qualities never come together. Connie Britton, who played Beth Ailes, is a big part of why the Roger Ailes storyline never worked out; Britton's portrayal of blind loyalty feels very two-dimensional and at times naive. Liv Hewson, Brigette Lundy-Paine and Rob Delaney, who played Lily Balin, Julia Clarke and Gil Norman respectively, never really function well in their role as confidantes to Theron; these are background roles that never bolster the major scenes they are in.

1917

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This film is a perilous journey that the audience is drawn into just as much as the characters. I would give 1917 an 8.5/10.

1917 follows two young British soldiers as they desperately navigate behind enemy territory in order to save a regiment of allied forces from marching into a high casualty trap set by German forces. In a manner of speaking the plot is relatively simple, yet it thrives off this by framing the storyline as an experience for the audience too. 1917 is a no holds barred journey into danger, in which the main protagonists must travel throughout a treacherous landscape and face enemy traps and soldiers in their desperate bid to stop the attack and save Lance Corporal Blake's older brother. The film handles the magnitude of this mission rather well, the stretch of empty landscape our heroes navigate feel treacherous and indefensible, then the action transitions to a setting that is claustrophobic and suffocating just to drive home the point. The characters very scarcely feel safe and as such you are on the edge of your seat, tense and alert throughout. The cinematography for the film has a heavy hand in what makes it such a worthwhile experience, numerous long shots that stay with the protagonists and the surrounding action immerse you entirely into the film so that you become embroiled in the action. The editing is a huge aid to the fine camerawork, offering seamless transitions from shot to shot and crafting a near perfect illusion that the film was entirely done in a single take. The score for 1917 is a macabre mix of haunting, tension-building melody and intense pulse-pounding tempo when the action picks you; it complements every scene perfectly.

Dean-Charles Chapman, who played Lance Corporal Blake, is a really interesting introductory protagonist; Chapman is a more reckless leading man and takes risks in dangerous situations with the best of intentions. Colin Firth, who played General Erinmore, works well as the stoic top of the chain; Firth balances his scene out with great solemnity as he imparts the gravity of the mission parameters. Andrew Scott, who played Lieutenant Leslie, has a harsh resistance to his duty and seems to have a truly honest outlook towards the ravaged landscape about him; Scott plays to the hopelessness of war very well and is one of the more interesting pessimistic characters. Mark Strong, who played Captain Smith, is a stony man of duty with an insightful view of how the war machine operates; Strong is perfect as a military officer and works well as a minor confidant to MacKay's character. Claire Duburcq, who played Lauri, is a tender moment in amongst the dangerous action of the film; her careful plea for safety and family over conflict is an important message worth hearing. Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Colonel MacKenzie, is a very interestin role who almost appears as an antagonist for the feature; Cumberbatch's cold compliance and harsh view towards the necessity of war marks him as one of the true villains of the piece and an absolutely fascinating role.

However the best performance came from George MacKay and Richard Madden, who played Lance Corporal Schofield and Lieutenant Joseph Blake respectively. Normally I don't have multiple actors in this spot but this film was defined by MacKay's singular performance while Madden accomplished in his scene what I feel few members of the cast came close to achieving. MacKay has come a long way from his standout performance in Pride, the last feature I watched him in. This role is extremely exasperated at first, he has no great desire to be dragged into the mission and he grows increasingly frustrated at the impossibility of the task laid out before him. Yet after an incredibly gut-wrenching and realistic moment of grief and loss this role goes through a steadfast transition that changes his outlook entirely. The hardened determination you see in MacKay now is inexhaustible, his role consistently throws himself against obstacles or past them and he is unrelenting until he accomplishes everything he promised to achieve. The calming moment of reflection and recollection at the end of the movie is just the nice touch you can expect this actor to pull off well. Madden's role on the other hand centres on a powerful moment in which he is informed about the loss of a family member. Up until this point Madden has this resolute guise of a leader of men who is extremely capable at being a leader. The moment in which he learns of his brother's death is a moving moment in which he has a very real moment of grief in front of a fellow soldier. It's just a short scene but it's one of the best moments in the feature.

1917 does suffer from moments between high points of tension, not always filling out scenes inbetween with the most important content. Watching a lot of the offbeat scenes in which quick-flying empty dialogue is exchanged and little value is added meant the film had minor slumps where it wasn't really achieving much and seemed content with riding things out to the next moment of conflict or tension. Compromising on pace seemed like a good idea but I certainly feel moments between the action could have been enhanced somewhat.