Mostly awful - SPOILERS
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This film is mostly awful. Not because 'I didn't get it'. I did.
I understand not all war films have to be action and explosions and there is a very real human element to be considered. I get that. Totally. Hence 95% of this film being set in Canada on the home front as it were, is not a real issue here.
The blu ray box says "in 16 days 5,000 soldiers lost their lives. This is their story"
But it's not. Not at all. I knew more about Passchendaele before I watched it and can honestly say, I learned nothing from this of the Canadians valiant efforts, nor did it enhance my understanding of the Great War.
It's a vehicle and personal showcase for Mr Gross. Nothing more.
The biggest of the films problems is clearly this:
"written, co-produced, directed by, and starring Paul Gross".
It's over sentimental and terribly scripted . . . . Picture sitting in a foxhole, upto your waist in muddy water telling a frightened young man that we go to war because 'we're good at it . . . because oceans swell and forests burn' . . . er, sorry what?
Actually, don't think he said 'oceans swell', pretty sure he said 'they go up and down' . . .oh my. oh my oh my oh my.....
Thankfully, his acting is better than his script (just) but still, he's wrote some incredible(well, incredulous) set pieces in which to show off and be the hero.
He's obviously researched the Great War and likes to share his findings with the audience but it's so contrived! He discusses Shell Shock like he's read it on Wikipedia, yet his character (apart from a few sweaty nights in a bed)displays none of the symptoms relating to shell shock or neurasthenia.
Some things he did do well . . 'The godless hun' poster and the arrogant British Officer. Not because either of these portrayals is accurate as such but at the time, British and commonwealth propaganda did portray (wrongly) Germans as Heathen foes, rapers of nuns and killers of babies. At least this was historically correct!
And as much as I loathe the constant film portrayal of Englishman as 'the baddies' (tut tut Mr Gross, a Hollywoodism you really didn't need to use in a Canadian made film) Edwardian officer class attitude towards shell shock victims was often one of disgust and criticism. 'Coward' was often a label too easily handed out to them.
As for the boy on the cross thing . . . just tripe. Pure tripe. I can't even talk about that here . . but it's a proper hand over the eyes moment, because it's so awfully tacky and just . . . . . . yuk.
The battle scenes whilst short, are well done and there are some very neat cinematic touches. More of this, would have done wonders for the film in terms of showing that the Director does have some workable vision! Instead we have to listen to Paul Gross with his actor hat on saying, with eyes glazing over 'there are no poets out here. . . ' which made me want to shoot him.