‘Hacksaw Ridge’ Review – Some Superheroes Don’t Need Capes

When we think of war, guns are normally a big part of it. Hacksaw Ridge though is the true story of one man who signed up to go to war but refused to carry a gun, and proved that amazing acts of courage don’t have to come from raising a rifle in anger.

Hacksaw Ridge

When Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield) signs up to do his duty in WW2, he causes quite a stir. A conscientious objector, he refuses to put a hand on a gun, even when threatened with court-martial. Despite the army trying its best to force the matter, he manages to become a medic who saves lives during the hell of earth that was Hacksaw Ridge.

When watching trailers for Hacksaw Ridge, there is a focus on the court case where Doss fought for his right to be a soldier but not use a rifle, where this movie really shines though is in the battle that follows. While you do have to have a strong stomach to take in the gore that is on show, what really is the focus is what a hero Doss really was.

The fact that when all the other soldiers were forced to retreat leaving over a hundred wounded, but he refused to give up is a hugely heroic feat. What makes it even more impressive is that it really did happen and he managed to save at least 75 of his fellow soldiers.

Although Mel Gibson has had a questionable time outside of filmmaking, this really is a successful comeback for him. There is real power in the images that he shows on screen. This isn’t a film that glorifies war, in fact it really makes it look like the hell that it really is. For horror fans, there is an impressive level of gore, sometimes a little too much. The fact is though, war is violent, and to show the bloodshed removes any glorification of it.

Andrew Garfield plays Doss well, showing the man to be a thoughtful person who had principles. He manages to show the strength that the man had, and helps make him a relatable character.  This is what makes Hacksaw Ridge powerful, and makes you admire the feat that Desmond Doss accomplished. To bring 75 men back from hell is a superhero feat that deserves the respect that was shown, not only in this movie but when Doss returned home.

At the end of the film we get to see the real Desmond Doss, and his fellow soldiers that survived because of him. It is interesting that they also include a story of one of the rescues that happened in the movie. This makes it a nice ending, but also poignant when we have to consider that we’ll never really understand the true nature of what these men went through, and hopefully never will.

Hacksaw Ridge is a very good movie, about a hero that should be celebrated. At a time when we see atrocities taking place a little too close to home, we need heroes like Desmond Doss and what they symbolise, and that is what Hacksaw Ridge proves to us. That they can exist.

Hacksaw Ridge is available now in the UK on DVD and Blu-ray

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