The Oscar-winning war epic 1917 has come home on Blu-ray, and the film is definitely a must-have for fans of war movies. One of the very best of its type ever made, the film is directed by Sam Mendes using a screenplay co-written by Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns. Released last year, the film earned a lot of praise and won big at awards season, even managing to grab the wins for Best Motion Picture and Best Director at the Golden Globe Awards.
At that Academy Awards, 1917 also received ten Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Director. Along with Visual Effects and Sound Mixing, the film took the win for Best Cinematography, and it’s easy to see why if you’ve seen the movie. The film features many very long uncut scenes to really make it feel like the whole story is told in one long take, and the way the 1917 pulls it off really brings this kind of filmmaking to a whole new level. Though the primary focus is always on the two lead characters, it’s hard not to look in awe at the details of massive set they traverse, from soldier-filled trenches to abandoned mine shafts.
Still, for as beautiful as 1917 looks visually, the film wouldn’t have worked if it didn’t have a compelling storyline to go along with it. Inspired by real-life war stories as heard by Mendes, the tale of Schofield and Blake and their journey is told in such a manner that it really feels like you’re right there in the trenches with them. Though we begin the film knowing absolutely nothing about either character, it’s not long at all before you’ll get to know them and really start caring about them, feeling many of the very same emotions as the characters with each difficult step of their mission.

George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman lead the cast as Lance Corporals Will Schofield and Tom Blake. During World War I, the two are given orders to call off an attack to prevent their fellow soldiers from falling into a trap organized by the German military; for Blake, the stakes are particularly high as his brother is among those spearheading the planned attack. With time not on their side, the two venture out alone for the best shot of making it there on time, but the trek there is a very dangerous journey.
As one of the best war movies ever made, 1917 is a great film to have in your Blu-ray collection. Because it’s very compelling to watch, I see it as one I’ll be revisiting from time to time. I’m a sucker for bonus features as well, so I was very satisfied to see so many great bonuses included on the Blu-ray. There are tons of behind-the-scenes videos exploring the making of the movie, which is just as interesting to watch as the movie itself. Additionally, there are two feature commentary tracks included, including one from director Sam Mendes and another with the cinematographer, Roger Deakins.
1917 is available on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD, and DVD as of March 24. You can watch the official trailer for the film below, courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Synopsis: At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield (Captain Fantastic’s George MacKay) and Blake (Game of Thrones’ Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers—Blake’s own brother among them.
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