WHEN THE ORDER CAME TO RETREAT, ONE MAN STAYED.
In 1945, Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) is deployed to the Pacific theater; trained as a combat medic, he is also a conscientious objector who refuses to touch weapons. Mel Gibson’s comeback as a director for the first time in ten years is an impressively staged portrait of the only conscientious objector during World War II to receive the Medal of Honor for his bravery. A very strong performance by Garfield, a compelling story and battle scenes that are jaw-droppingly brutal. A film that draws you in, and Gibson honors faith and integrity as he has done many times before as a filmmaker… but the seeming delight that he takes in the violence is contradictory.
2016-U.S.-Australia. 139 min. Color. Widescreen. Produced by Terry Benedict, Paul Currie, Bruce Davey, William D. Johnson, Bill Mechanic, Brian Oliver, David Permut. Directed by Mel Gibson. Screenplay: Robert Schenkkan, Andrew Knight. Music: Rupert Gregson-Williams. Editing: John Gilbert. Cast: Andrew Garfield (Desmond Doss), Vince Vaughn (Howell), Sam Worthington (Jack Glover), Luke Bracey, Hugo Weaving, Ryan Corr… Teresa Palmer, Rachel Griffiths.
Trivia: In the 1950s, producer Hal B. Wallis allegedly tried to turn the story into a movie.
Oscars: Best Film Editing, Sound Mixing. BAFTA: Best Editing.
Last word: “It was a completely Australian film, all the players were Aussies except Andrew and Vince Vaughn. So the whole production is an Aussie film, but a very American story, which is kind of unusual. My worry was, is it going to look like we’re in Lynchburg, and Okinawa? I think we got away with it.” (Gibson, Deadline)
