Movie Review: Hacksaw Ridge

Last night, I was able to see a movie which I had long wanted to see since first seeing the trailers and commercials come out for it when it was coming out. Of course, I am talking about "Hacksaw Ridge," a movie about a conscientous objector who signed up for service in World War II. This is based on a true story, and the man was named Desmond Doss, played very capably in this movie by Andrew Garfield.

Doss was raised and lived in Virginia prior to the war. But watching this movie, you learn the back story, which was anything but normal. I do not want to give anythnig away, but suffice to say that it helped shape Doss's aversion to ever touching a gun again. 

Of course, the problem was that the military officers who's duty it was to prepare Doss and the rest of the men to fight in the war - the biggest war that humankind has ever fought. But Doss refusing to pick up his gun was a problem, and they tried to give him hell for it. He was put behind bards and was forced to stand trial, facing a court martial. 

However, he managed to get a high-ranking military official to grant him the opportunity to go to war, even while he himself was unarmed. And so her served.

One of the things that many of the soldiers whom he served with felt was uncertainty. Could they trust Doss, who seemed to them crazy and foolish, heading into a war without a weapon and swearing that he would not pick one up? He seemed as if he would be a liability.

As it turns out, however, the American troops wound up being very thankful to have Doss. They fought a battle against the Japanese at Hacksaw Ridge in Okinawa. It was a huge struggle that went back and forth. The Americans would advance, then the Japanese - who had constructed tunnels underground - would seemingly appear out of nowhere and mount an offensive that forced the Americans to retreat and go back down an escarpment, or cliff. It was at this point that Doss showed just how valuable he would be. He stayed atop the escarpment, and at the risk of his own life, he found and saved many wounded men, including some Japanese. In all, he saved approximately 70+ men.

On the next offensive, he sustained some serious injuries, including being shot in his arm, and then receiving shrapnel wounds after kicking away a grenade. He was evacuated from there. Later, he received the Medal of Honor, in October of 1945, for his bravery and sacrifice. 

This movie portrays all of that. It is not a fun movie, but it is an important movie. There is some terrific acting. It was also directed by Mel Gibson, which surprised and admittedly impressed me. 

All of this said, it is a modern war movie, and so don't expect punches to be pulled. There is a lot of violence in this movie, a lot of blood and guts and gore. Again, this is a war movie. That said, it is a very good film that packs an emotional punch.

Highly recommended, but likely also not for all audiences.