I really enjoyed this film but some parts were almost comical, I assume unintentionally.. like the man holding up a human torso as a shield and Doss kicking away a grenade, it just seemed really out of place with the rest of the film.
shareYes I felt the same. I understand there is a horror to war where things outlandish like that do happen but for some reason the way it was directed, it felt like a scene from The Raid. The other scene where the dead body bends up screaming is jarring but borderlines comical as well. I enjoyed the film very much and the battles were intense but your observations are correct.
shareGibson likes to push the edge. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it leaves a body either slack-jawed or "You gotta be kidding." I don't know if he means to be comic or not at those times.
shareI would hope it's not intentional because it seems so out of place from the atmosphere of the rest of the film. Comic relief is good in an intense film like this but perhaps not right in the heat of the action?!
shareWell, if it's unintentional, he doesn't know how the sequence is going to affect film viewers.
shareUghh, I totally agree. I enjoyed this film, but people talking about how realistic this movie is drives me nuts and i'll never understand how this got a 10 minute standing ovation at the Venice film festival
I actually had a good laugh at the sight of a soldier picking up a human torso, using it as a shield, charging towards the enemy while firing a BAR with one hand (hitting multiple Japanese soldiers), until people tried to convince me that this actually happened.
Fun to watch, but not to be taken seriously.
Best film of the year!
shareGibson just depicted what REALLY happens in war. Remember that this film is based on a true story and this really did happen, soldiers using bodies as shields, using anything they could lay their hands on. I don't see why it would seem 'out of place' at all, when we all knew the film was heading to Doss courageous deeds in the Hacksaw Ridge 'battle' so it was obvious it was going to get 'ugly' .
shareSoldiers didn't run around the battle field with bodies as shields, shooting with perfect accuracy while firing with one hand!
If you want to watch a much more accurate/realistic portrayal of WW2, watch the series band of brothers (Which actually includes the real life veterans) or the pacific. Or watch saving private Ryan (Veterans of D Day had problems watching the entire movie because of it's realistic combat scenes), flags of our fathers/letters from Iwo Jima.
Hacksaw Ridge reminds me much more of the John Woo WW2 film 'Windtalkers'. Over the top, but fun to watch. Not realistic in any way.
Yes but in theory Desmond Doss should be dead and not have been able to do what he did under those circumstances, but he did, so I just think that anything is possible, so we will just have to agree to disagree.
shareI have no idea what you meant by that post. But sure, lets agree to disagree.
shareI think the main story is true (i.e. he was a hero who saved many lives) but some parts are added for dramatic effect. I don't believe that someone would show such little respect for a human body (particularly one of their own) to use a torso as a shield (at least I hope they wouldn't). It doesn't change the overall story, its just added to increase the drama.
shareSeriously, if that's all you have to hand....of course you would use a DEAD torso as a shield.
shareIt doesn't matter. A human torso would offer little ballistic shielding to the weapons used in World War II.
Using a torso as a shield would get you killed.
Fair enough, maybe it would get you killed or 'could' more like it....however, I do think it's just a natural reaction to put whatever you find handy as a shield in front of you when you have no other alternative to protect yourself from an attack, so in that sense I DO find it realistic.
I think a soldier would want his corpse to be used as a shield if it could potentially save his comrades. I know I would given the scenario. So, I don't think there is any disrespect involved.
It might not be perfect, but anything is better than nothing. Just because it might not stop every bullet does not mean it would be completely ineffective.
In a chaotic and insane moment like the heat of battle I have zero doubt that a soldier would use anything and everything for cover.
That's a great point. I won't hesitate to hoist up your torso as a shield in the heat of battle.
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