Stars: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey
Storyline
WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first Conscientious Objector in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
Writers: Andrew Knight, Robert Schenkkan, Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Vince Vaughn, Hugo Weaving, Milo Gibson, Luke Bracey, Rachel Griffiths, Nathaniel Buzolic, Matt Nable, Richard Roxburgh, Ryan Corr, Goran D. Kleut, Firass Dirani, Luke Pegler, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Cast: Teresa Palmer -
Dorothy Schutte
Andrew Garfield -
Desmond T. Doss
Sam Worthington -
Captain Glover
Vince Vaughn -
Sergeant Howell
Hugo Weaving -
Tom Doss
Milo Gibson -
Lucky Ford
Luke Bracey -
Smitty
Rachel Griffiths -
Bertha Doss
Nathaniel Buzolic -
Harold Doss
Matt Nable -
Lt. Cooney
Richard Roxburgh -
Colonel Stelzer
Ryan Corr -
Lt. Manville
Goran D. Kleut -
Andy 'Ghoul' Walker
Firass Dirani -
Vito Rinnelli
Luke Pegler -
Milt 'Hollywood' Zane
Taglines:
When the order came to retreat, one man stayed.
Filming Locations: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Box Office Details
Budget: $45,000,000
(estimated)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Corporal Doss was a member of the Army's 77th Infantry Division. Known as the "Liberty Division" for their distinctive insignia of a gold Statue of Liberty on a blue background, the 77th fought at Guam, Leyte (Philippines), and Okinawa. One of its units, Company C of the 306th Infantry Regiment, left the US in 1944 with 203 officers and men. By war's end in August 1945, just 13 of the original members were left. The 77th fought alongside the Marines, and a newspaper article during the war described how the division's soldiers fought so well at Guam that they earned the ultimate compliment: the Leathernecks nicknamed their Army counterparts the "77th Marine Division." Famed war correspondent Ernie Pyle was killed by an enemy sniper while covering the 77th on Ie Shima, a small island off the west coast of Okinawa. The 77th was part of the Allied force that occupied Japan after hostilities ceased. See more »
User Review
Author:
Rating: 8/10
Hacksaw Ridge is the latest film from the infamous Mel Gibson and it is
as electrifying as one would come to expect. Telling the story of
Desmond Doss, an Army medic that refused to carry a weapon through the
hell fire of battle in Okinawa at the height of World War II. The
untold story of Doss is one that is of the finer war hero stories that
anyone could tell. Starring Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Sam
Worthington and Teresa Palmer, Hacksaw Ridge is a beautifully acted and
viciously portrayed war film that will stick with you from the minute
the film starts until the second the end credits start. It will leave
you clawing your seat, wiping away the sweat from your palms as we see
Garfield's Doss save as many lives as he possibly can while dodging
bullets and hand grenades. The film starts in the most somber of times
in American history, the second world war. Desmond Doss, the son of a
PTSD-riddled alcoholic Army man (Hugo Weaving) who served in World War
I, is also as much as a devout Christian as he is a patriot, leading
him to join the fight against the oppressive Japanese military. Doss is
in love with a small town girl Dorothy Schutte (Teresa Palmer) who is
scared that she'll never see Doss again, especially after the
persecution he is sure to face. When in training camp, Doss refuses to
touch a gun and is actually court marshaled for his refusal. This leads
to a trial in which he is allowed by his superior officers to go into
Okinawa with no fire arm to protect him. Much of the film is steeped in
realism, something that Mel Gibson specializes in when it comes to
violence. While the story and plot line may sound very traditional, the
way it is portrayed is a fresh burst of life into a tired genre such as
this. That, coupled with the amazing true-life story of Desmond Doss
being portrayed on screen, makes Hacksaw Ridge a wild and brutal trip
down the path to Christianity and the power that faith can give a man.
Gibson, a devout Catholic himself, would be the director to bring this
story to life. His religious views seep through his very being,
especially through his films and this film is no exception. The film
settles in the idea that God is literally protecting Doss, not only
physically but spiritually as well. Doss is constantly tested
throughout the film, almost needing to take a life (which is the
ultimate sin to him) in many scenes. The fact that this man did not
fire a single round and saved as many men as he did is astounding and
the film really does an amazing job at showing the harsh realities of
war but also showing the good that can be brought out in a man through
his faith. The film itself, is one of Gibson's less preachy works which
makes it more accessible. Even if faith-based films are not your thing,
you can appreciate the craft that went into making this film. Hacksaw
Ridge displays war as atrocious as it truly is. There is blood, there
is gore and there are a couple wounds that will cut even the strongest
of men down. This is an extremely violent film but it is extremely
violent in the sense that there is enough going on around us to never
make us truly settle in the violence which would take away a lot of the
impact that Gibson is trying to portray. The film is paced very nicely
and does feel more like a traditional war film without it really being
the traditional World War II film. The filmmaking is traditional but
the story is unique and is definitely the driving force to run out and
see this film. The performance from Andrew Garfield is amazing. He
sheds any sort of preconceived notion and really embodies the roll of
Doss quite well. He is far from a revelation but he is on the right
track in delivering a very fine performance. The screenplay is tight
and taught. Like I said, there are scenes that are heart pounding in
this film. Personally, I found myself holding my breath during some of
the action sequences. It was THAT intense at parts. While I do have
great things to say about this film, I will say, I was a bit
disappointed in the performances all around. While I thought Garfield
did an amazing job carrying a film that was not Spider-Man, I wish he
was a little better. I felt the same way with the rest of the cast. The
melodrama that is portrayed very early on in the film is something that
does begin to corrode the realist efforts of everything else. However,
once the action starts, so does the really great acting on everyone's
parts. Gibson is an actor that revels in the moments of pure chaos and
he expects the same thing from his actors. It makes for some intense
scenes that are elevated by the pure realism that the actors portray.
You actually feel as though you are watching these people go to war. It
is a testament to Mel Gibson as a director. He really knows how to put
you in the moment and Hacksaw Ridge just solidifies his talent.
Overall, I felt Hacksaw Ridge was an extremely brutal and visceral war
film that brings up questions of warfare, humanity and religion while
displaying Gibson's excellent eye for technical accuracy and assaulting
imagery. Say what you will about Gibson as a person but as a director
he is sharp, gritty and a master at what he does.
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