War Horse

Men have been riding horses into battle for almost 5,000 years. Visit almost any city or town in America and, in the town square or park, you will find a statue of a horse carrying a gallant and heroic warrior into battle. Often a sword will be held high or the horse will be sculpted, rearing up, and ready to charge. From the knights in shining armor, to the cavalry of the American west, the horse has been an instrumental part of man's war against man.

War Horse, directed by Steven Spielberg, occurs during the period when man replaced the horse with mechanized means of making war. When trucks and tanks became more efficient methods for fighting and killing, and the noble soldier on horse back became obsolete. Spielberg captures this moment in history,

in an amazing and horrifying scene, that leaves the audience breathless.

The film is about a boy named Albert (Jeremy Irvine) and horse, a very special horse, named Joey. Both live idyllic lives in England until they are tossed into the maelstrom of WWI, the great war, the war to end all wars.

Albert has known Joey since the day he was born. Just looking at him Albert knew Joey was a special horse. Through a quirk of fate, mostly due to his father's stubbornness, Albert ended up owning Joey and the two, horse and man, form a bond of trust, respect, understanding and love. That bond is tested when war comes to England and, as result of his father's stubbornness again, the two are separated when Joey is sold to the Army. But, Albert vows to find him and bring him home.

The film follows Joey on his odyssey through the battlefields of France, first with the English and then with Germans, and for a brief respite, with a French farmer and his grand-daughter. During his journey Joey is fortunate to encounter men who recognize him to be a magnificent animal, "a miracle horse", and not just a disposable beast of burden in the vast war machine.

Albert comes of age and also goes to France. The centerpiece of the film is a battle in no man's land which Spielberg recreates with the same gripping horror that he created in Saving Private Ryan. There is a sequence when Joey, terrorized from the battle, races through the carnage of the battlefield and it is one of the best scenes Spielberg has ever shot. And then comes a lighter, yet perhaps more profound moments in the film, when because of Joey, a  brief truce is called. This scene reminds us that war had different rules once. That in the midst of hostility, civility could be recognized.

Through chance, coincidence, or perhaps fate, Joey and Albert cross paths again, but it is unclear if either will survive long enough to return home to England.

From a technical aspect war Horse is a magnificent film. Writing, cinematography, set design, costumes, and music all meet the high standards one expect from a Spielberg film. he is working with longtime collaborators John Williams, Janusz Kaminski and Michael Khan. the film is based on a children's book by Michael Morpurgo and the stage adaptation playing the UK and New York City. With an entirely British cast, including Emily Watson and Tom Hiddleston, the film has very few familiar faces which may account for it's moderate success at the box office.

War Horse is an overly sentimental film. In fact, it has received much criticism because of the way Spielberg tugs at the audience heartstrings. Overly sentimental war films went out of style during the Vietnam error. War movies became harsh and gritty, and sentiment was replaced with realism.

War Horse is a movie that reminds us more of the films of John Ford, then Oliver Stone. War Horse is an homage to the great  films of Hollywood's golden age, An old fashioned epic drama reminiscent of the great works of David Lean. And if you are going for sentiment no other director  pulls on your heartstrings as well as Steven Spielberg.

War Horse received six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, but with no director nomination for Spielberg it's chances for winning are slim

Rating - War Horse ***1/2 stars