Hacksaw Ridge

Hacksaw Ridge is probably the most gruesome pro-pacifism film you're ever likely to see. 

Bringing to the screen the true story of American medic Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector who was eager to serve his country during WWII but refused on religious principle to carry a weapon, director Mel Gibson vividly presents war as hell… and drops the angelic Doss smack in the middle of it. 

Violence is in Gibson's blood - that's obvious from his most distinctive work as both an actor and a filmmaker, from Mad Max to The Passion Of The Christ - but he's also a true believer in suffering as the path to salvation, and Hacksaw Ridge allows him to tackle both topics with ferocity. 

As Gibson is so in step with the material, the result is a movie that is thoroughly sincere and genuine when it comes to the best qualities of humanity coexisting with the worst. It's powerful and thoughtful stuff. 

Doss, played with winning, guileless charm and understated grit by Andrew Garfield, wasn't always anti-violence. But, after a childhood scuffle with his brother took a near-fatal turn, he resolved to never harm another person. It's also revealed later that his troubled relationship with his father, a traumatised, alcoholic WWI veteran played by Hugo Weaving, played a significant role in Doss' decision as well.

When America goes to war after the bombing of Pearl Harbour, the young man is keen to do his part, even though he has just fallen head over heels in love with Dorothy (Teresa Palmer). 

Basic training under drill sergeant Howell (Vince Vaughn, reminding everyone why they once liked Vince Vaughn so much) sees Doss suffering for his convictions, with his fellow soldiers viewing him as a misfit and even a coward. 

Doss shows courage under fire, and then some, when his infantry division is dispatched to a desolate battlefield dubbed 'Hacksaw Ridge', standing atop a steep cliff. 

Facing the Japanese enemy, Doss sees his comrades literally torn apart by gunfire and grenade blast. The men that aren't killed are wounded beyond belief. 

And with no gun in his hand, Doss ventures into the war zone to rescue whoever he can. Then he goes back for another, and another, and another. 

"Help me get one more" is what Doss says to himself (well, to God) as he darts back into the fray time and time again, and the combination of Gibson's uncompromising vision of war's horror and Garfield's rock-solid portrayal of Doss' unshakable conviction serves as a stunning depiction of selflessness and bravery. 

Hacksaw Ridge may prove confronting and even confounding at times (the sincerity I mentioned earlier can sometimes come off as square to the point of parody), but it’s a terrific story, firm in its beliefs and clear in its message.