Hacksaw Ridge is an all time favorite movie of mine and my go-to film after scrolling through all of the trailers on Netflix and finding nothing to watch once again. Although the movie touches the disturbing topic of war and certainly shows many grotesque, bloody scenes of violence, this heartwarming biopic will allow you to immerse yourself one man’s unimaginable journey:
Without spoiling the whole movie, Hacksaw Ridge follows the character Desmond Doss, (played by Andrew Garfield) who wishes to serve in the army during World War II. However, scarred by a traumatic experience at childhood, Desmond becomes a devout Seven–Day Activist and promises to never touch a weapon again. In a society where masculinity is linked to brutality and violence, Desmond is ridiculed and tormented by fellow soldiers and generals at base camp. Nevertheless, Desmond refuses to falter from his moral compass and prevails; when it came down to the final battle, he didn’t fight with a weapon but with his unwavering courage. Known to be one of the deadliest battles in WWII history set in Okinawa, Desmond runs straight into the line of fire without a single weapon in hand and carries the wounded back home while the rest retreat, hopeless and traumatized. Andrew Garfield’s impeccable portrayal of Desmond balances the gentleness of his faith with his raw intensity on the battlefield. Mel Gibson, director of the film, webs together hilarious moments from the first days of training, a beautiful love story with Dorothy, and his heroic journey in the bloodbath of war all into one continuous masterpiece.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a life-changing movie where you’ll learn about courage, resilience and what it means to put someone’s lives above your own, invest 2 hours of your life in watching Hacksaw Ridge. By the end, you’ll be jittering with adrenaline and awe and of course, immediately clicking on Youtube and searching up real life interviews with Desmond Doss.