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Legendary Academy Award-winning Steven Spielberg is a true inspiration
to filmmakers everywhere. He has given us many classic films over the span of his nearly spotless
career. Can War Horse live up to expectations?
War Horse is an inspiring story that takes place in Devon, England in the year 1912. It follows
a struggling family who buys a young colt at auction… a family who are just about to lose everything they own.
The young and playful colt may not be what they needed for their farm, but it is exactly what they needed for their
family. It’s truly an underdog story about this horse and this family, but mainly the teenage boy
of the household.
First, I just wanted to mention Steven Spielberg’s
directing. It is quite remarkable. Whether it was a gentle notion that is hardly noticeable
or a huge gesture that everyone can see, his style was amazing and it really stood out. Of course it also
helps to have the nice visuals of the stunning farm scenes (all in high definition of course). And the
acting is just as remarkable. During the film we encounter many different varieties of people that come
from many different backgrounds – and each character was extremely fitting for their part. Jeremy
Irvine plays the teenager and owner of the horse, and although his character was annoyingly whiny and emotional during most
of the movie – he does a tremendous job. And the horse itself is extraordinary. Is
it possible to nominate an animal for an Oscar? After watching the “making of” you find out
that a lot of what you see on the screen was the horse’s real behavior – it was not in the script.
As I said in the previous paragraph, you encounter many different characters
during the duration of this movie. It shows us the struggles of the family down on their farm, the burdens
of war, and the burdens of trying to live through a war. And it also shows us that one person can make
a difference in life – even if it is a horse. I enjoyed the fact that this one horse was able to
bring peace and harmony to even some of the darkest places in the world. He was able to bring something
to everyone he encountered; whether it was a struggling farming family, a war soldier, or a grandfather watching over this
parentless granddaughter… the horse was able to give them new hope in the world… a world filled with war and
confusion.
But… after watching the movie and enjoying the meaning
behind it all… it just seemed a little silly and childish. Especially since it all boils down to
this love affair the teenaged farm boy has with his horse. No, it’s not that type of “love
affair”, but it was a little silly to see a teenager that was so attached to a horse even several years after its unexpected
departure. There’s even one scene where a war soldier risks his life to save the horse from an untimely
death while he’s caught in a field of barbed wire. The scene did show compassion between both sides
of the war, but it just seemed unrealistic and silly.
The Bottom
Line: Steven Spielberg’s
directional technique was stunning. The acting was extraordinary. But, if you look past
the beautiful cinematography, acting and inspiring message… it all boils down to a silly love affair between an emotional
boy and his horse. It’s not Oscar worthy, but it was still an enjoyable ride with a few silly scenes
and a lot of crying by Jeremy Irvine.
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