Express Views
Film: Hacksaw Ridge
Director: Mel Gibson
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington
Hacksaw Ridge is an exercise in extremes. You’ll either love it or hate it. There’s very little middle ground here. Personally, I’m going with the former option, but that’s because I’m a sucker for underdog hero stories. And that’s exactly what Hacksaw Ridge is. The way the movie is structured, with a lengthy backstory that details how he grew up, his dad’s abusive drinking, their firm faith,
his resilience, his first kiss is a complete contrast to the second half — which is when the fighting begins. Chalk and cheese.
Mel Gibson has transformed the astonishing tale of Desmond Doss into a soulful drama, albeit with a good deal of his religious indulgences and political propaganda. Doss, who died in 2006, was a vet who carried over 75 injured men off the battlefield at Hacksaw Ridge, Okinawa and lowered them down the cliff face long after the troops had beaten a retreat. What makes it even more compelling is that Doss was derided and pushed around, on the verge of being court martialled, because he wouldn’t touch a gun or kill people, because his religious beliefs wouldn’t permit it.
Andrew Garfield, who played the last but one Spiderman, plays Doss with restrained ease - and is particularly emphatic during that long night when he rummaged around looking for survivors. His lines, Doss’ by way of origin, “Please God, give me the strength to save one more,” can really make you tear up.
Backed by strong performances, Vince Vaughn as Doss’ tough-as-nails Sargent in particular, Hacksaw Ridge is one of those rare movies that can move you and make you sick all at once. Sick how? Well, we’re talking Mel Gibson and war scenes. Think gore, blood spatter that’s borderline pulp and unrelenting violence, all to ensure you’re left in no doubt just how violent the skirmish was. The action is pretty high quality, though, and for people who grew up reading Commando comics, it’s a nice little throwback to WWII stories.
Could it have been a wee bit shorter? Yes. Could there have been a little less grandstanding on how the army mistreated Conscientious Objectors (that’s what people who enlisted but refused to kill were called)? Absolutely. Does that make it any less worthwhile a watch? Not in my book.