War rears its ugly head again in this old-fashioned but very effective World War II drama, Hacksaw Ridge.  This was a story of which I was completely unaware, and I am glad to see it brought to the big screen.  Based on a true story, it tells the story of Army private Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), a religious young man who insists into going into battle without a weapon.  He trains as a medic, and wants to serve by helping rescue his fallen comrades and keeping them alive.

Mel Gibson’s film presents Doss’ backstory before the war and primarily focuses on his training period in the Army, when his fellow soldiers find his religious stance as a conscientious objector to be more cowardice than principle.  But Doss finally persuades the Army to let him fight his way, and into battle he goes.  In Okinawa the American soldiers must climb a high ridge via rope before trying to capture the Japanese plateau.  A bitter battle ends with an American victory — until the next day, when thousands of Japanese soldiers hiding in caves and tunnels swarm above ground.  The Americans are forced to retreat, but one man stays on top, looking for survivors.  Overnight, Doss finds and delivers dozens of wounded men to safety by himself.  Then the battle begins all over again.

This is one of those stories that seems too unbelievable to be true, which is why it makes such a marvelous movie.  As portrayed so adroitly by Andrew Garfield, Doss represents the best of the American character.  He tries to live what he believes, no matter what the personal cost, and he lives to serve his fellow men.  As he wins the hearts of his commanding officers (Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington) and his fellow soldiers (Luke Bracey, many others) Desmond Doss wins ours as well.  It helps that we know he has a loving woman (Teresa Palmer) waiting for him at home, but what he does at Hacksaw Ridge is nothing short of miraculous.

Gibson’s vision of war is close to that of Spielberg’s hellish Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan, so this is not a film for the squeamish.  It is bloody and gory and ultraviolent, for that is the nature of war.  I expected nothing less from Gibson, whose career rarely wavered from violence or the threat of violence.  Yet Hacksaw Ridge is also an artistic vision from a filmmaker who has proved himself very able behind the camera.  Gibson’s character issues aside, he is a terrific filmmaker who has delivered one of the best movies of the year, one which deserves to be widely seen and appreciated.  ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2.  7 December 2016.