War Horse - directed by Steven Spielberg
A miraculous horse gallops through
the barren, midnight battlefield. A trench hides at either side of
it. Both house soldiers at war with each other. The beast leaps over
splayed dead bodies, sprinting through lakes of blood. It collides
with layers of barbed wire which wrap around its limbs and its gallop
is halted. A mysterious animal gathers the attention of both trenches. The
spirited stallion, quite literally, brings them both together. This
scene, in my opinion, captures the meaning of this truly magnificent
film. Steven Spielberg’s latest delivery in the world
of film is based on Michael Morpurgo’s award winning book and
the theatre adaptation which has had worldwide success. Spielberg’s
blockbuster is assisted by Richard Curtis and the beautifully crafted
soundtrack by Spielberg’s partner-in-film, John Williams: not to mention
brilliant performances by the film’s cast.
The film begins in Devon with an exquisite
journey over summer fields. A teenager crouches in the grass, looking at
the birth of a foal. Then we see the newborn and his mother with
Albie (Jeremy Irvine) in his crouching position watching his future equine
companion. The inevitable happens and Joey, the horse, is bought by
Albie’s alcoholic father played with great vulnerability by Peter Mullan.
The harvest lies ahead, crucial income to Albie’s family who are constantly
chased by their heartless landlord, another exceptional display from David
Thewlis. The best performance was by Niels Arestrup, who’s portrayal of a
loving French grandfather delivers the film’s touching conclusion. His
acting at the end of the film will bring teardrops to even the hardest of souls
in cinemas. His granddaughter, a debut by Celine Buckens is reminiscent of
a young Elizabeth Taylor in 40’s Technicolor. For a 14 year old actress,
she delivers a believable and extremely sophisticated performance.
Joey, whilst in German ownership, is
ridden away by two German brothers, both fighting and one under-age. As
this is desertion, a crime against your own country, the two boys are found in
a windmill by their army and shot. This execution was filmed carefully and
cleverly, in the night. The horse is left untouched and
unnoticed. One of the highlights of this film was its action, a
combination of CGI and live stunts worked together to make some truly
breath-taking scenes - such as the army’s charge on a German army camp
which produced much emotion. Men and horses losing life. The battlefield
between the two trenches through which Albie sprints, dodging bullets and
rolling through mud, blood and water to retrieve his long lost companion.
The book of the film, by Michael Morpurgo, captured the nation’s hearts thirty
years ago when it topped bestseller lists for years after publishing. Its
adaptation onto stage gave the book a new audience. And now with its
arrival on the big screen, War Horse will be enjoyed around the world
by millions of people. This film will have every single one of these
people on the edge of their seats, moved by its beautiful soundtrack,
transported by its clever story-line and most of all everybody who sees this
film will remember it for the remainder of their lives.
By Freddie
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