A Few Words About A few words about...™ Hacksaw Ridge -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

But since I was fooled, I also felt cheated. I don't like film makers to insult my intelligence. BTW, I do like SPR very much.

I don't see how that insulted your intelligence.

 

[bujaki]

I don't see how that insulted your intelligence.

Because unlike a suspense movie with a twist, surprise ending where you didn't see the denouement coming through careful plotting, SPR's cheat felt lazy in the way Spielberg used a cinematic trope. A dissolve is used for a certain purpose and he just misused it in my opinion, and it bothered me and my wife. It's a personal thing when we go to movies.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Because unlike a suspense movie with a twist, surprise ending where you didn't see the denouement coming through careful plotting, SPR's cheat felt lazy in the way Spielberg used a cinematic trope. A dissolve is used for a certain purpose and he just misused it in my opinion, and it bothered me and my wife. It's a personal thing when we go to movies.

I still don't see how that insulted your intelligence, but anyway, during the course of the film, I concluded long before the ending that Hanks wasn't go to survive the war.

 

[Mark-P]

It was an obvious mis-direct in order to keep the old man's identity a secret until the very end. Honestly after all these years, this is the first time I've ever heard any pushback about it. I was always of the opinion that it was a rather clever ploy than a cheat. However this reminds me of the controversy over Hitchcock's Stage Fright where some audience members were livid that the entire flashback sequence was actually a lie and not reality. Up to that time flashbacks always represented what really happened.

 

[Edwin-S]

Was that a "cheat," or more of a wraparound in SPR? I may be misremembering.

I wouldn't call them cheats. The present day sequences were bookends to the rest of the film, so more a "wraparound". I know those sequences get a lot of flack for being maudlin, but they were necessary to the story.

Edit: The majority of the story is really either Upham's or Reiben's telling of the company's story as they are the only two survivors. The eye dissolve was a bit of misdirection, but I hardly felt cheated by it, considering it becomes clear that Miller isn't going to make it. Also, the title of the movie, itself, should have given away that the old man in the bookends is Ryan, not anyone from the company.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I got Hacksaw Ridge in today's mail and watched the Blu-ray version of it nearly immediately.

I've got to go along with all the kudos for Mel Gibson. Really terrific film which I enjoyed from beginning to end. Quite an amazing story...brought home with those real-life clips at the film's end.

Easily one of my favorite films of the year.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Friend watched it last night and said the 4K was great! Cant wait to watch myself.

 

[Sam Posten]

LOVE the sound in this film!

 

[Ahab]

For me, it wasn't that SPR wasn't necessarily memorable, but the "cheats" employed by the filmmakers with the narrative really took me out of the film, particularly the "present day" sequences.

There was nothing like that in Hacksaw Ridge that took me out of the story.

Well I wouldn't call them 'cheats' but several of the over-the-top battle sequences took me out of this film. Desmond kicking that grenade like it was a soccer ball is one example.
It is interesting how different reactions can be. I thought it merely ok. But would not ever take the time to watch it again. While I've enjoyed watching a similar film like "Sergeant York" at least half a dozen times.

 

[WilliamHg]

I've been meaning to get Mel's Apocalypto out for another go lately. I'm about surprised he didn't set Hacksaw Ridge in Russia, so he could do yet another movie not in English.... My favorite line from The Passion Of The Christ was what one Roman soldier said to another, "idiota"....

Rachael...I have Apocalypto on DVD and liked it a lot. Was looking for it on Blu-ray awhile back but couldn't find it online anywhere not even Amazon. I may have seen it somewhere for like $300.00 but I don't want to pay that much...not sure why it disappeared...well maybe I do but won't bring that up...I like Mel...warts, boils and all.

 

[Rachael B]

Rachael...I have Apocalypto on DVD and liked it a lot. Was looking for it on Blu-ray awhile back but couldn't find it online anywhere not even Amazon. I may have seen it somewhere for like $300.00 but I don't want to pay that much...not sure why it disappeared...well maybe I do but won't bring that up...I like Mel...warts, boils and all.

That's a shame! Things don't stay in-print all that long these days unless it's blockbuster stuff. It's a nice looking BD. I've been meanig to revisit is for some while....

 

[Tino]

The dissolve from the old man's blue eyes in the present in SPR to Hanks's blue eyes in the past made it seem, at least to me, that the old man was Hanks, and that this was Hanks's story. I thought that that was a cheat in cinematic terms.

The mind is a funny thing.

There is NO dissolve.

The camera zooms in close on old Ryan's eyes.

Then there is a cut to the beach showing the iron barricades with two title cards.

June 6 1944

Dog Green Sector
Omaha Beach

Then they cut to the Higgins boat heading towards the beach.

Then a shot of Hanks trembling hands as he takes a drink from his canteen and finally raises his head to show his face.

Still feel cheated??

 

[Tino]

I think many people just assumed incorrectly (as I did) that since there was a dissolve at the end the film from young Ryan to old Ryan that it happened at the beginning of the film also.

Understandable.

 

[TravisR]

I think many people just assumed incorrectly (as I did) that since there was a dissolve at the end the film from young Ryan to old Ryan that it happened at the beginning of the film also.

Understandable.

It's not an accident, you're supposed to think that and be surprised at the end. Personally, I see no problem with tricking the audience in that fashion. If they had shown the tombstone at the beginning, the death wouldn't have had anywhere near the impact that it did. The way the movie plays it, I ended up being shocked and saddened rather than spending the movie knowing what was coming.

 

[Tino]

Oh I agree. I was just pointing out that there was no dissolve in that opening scene and that I don't think anyone should feel tricked or cheated by Spielberg.

It's a very clever deliberate misdirection I thought.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

It really takes me out of the movie, and not in a good way. I saw the movie in theaters on opening night, with eager anticipation, and really enjoyed it up until the end revealed that it wasn't Tom Hanks' memories we were seeing. I felt cheated then, and it left such a bad taste in my mouth that I haven't seen the movie again since.

Also, in general, I am not a fan of the type of wraparound framing device that they used in this film, even if the character identity had been consistent and wasn't part of a misdirect. Movies like Saving Private Ryan, with their incredible attention to detail, have a way of transporting me to another place and time, and whenever they decide to tell the story in this fashion, it just yanks me out of the whole thing. I didn't like it in Titanic (though I've come to accept that one a little more because I enjoy the performances by the cast in the present day scenes), I didn't like it here, and I don't like it most of the other times either. In terms of Saving Private Ryan, the idea for a wraparound wasn't the worst ever in the sense that they don't keep cutting back and forth from the flashback to the present day, but I tend to dislike movies that do that.

 

[Johnny Angell]

The dissolve from the old man's blue eyes in the present in SPR to Hanks's blue eyes in the past made it seem, at least to me, that the old man was Hanks, and that this was Hanks's story. I thought that that was a cheat in cinematic terms.

Disagree strongly with calling that a cheat or the idea of the wraparounds being a cheat. But to each his own.

 

[Tino]

Bujaki, do you still feel the same about that scene knowing now there is no dissolve?

Just curious.

 

[bujaki]

Bujaki, do you still feel the same about that scene knowing now there is no dissolve?

Just curious.

As you say, memory plays tricks. I haven't seen the film since first release, but I go with what Josh said above. Maybe I was thinking of the end. I still felt cheated. I still liked the movie although I won't forgive Spielberg that trespass.

 

[Robert Crawford]

As you say, memory plays tricks. I haven't seen the film since first release, but I go with what Josh said above. Maybe I was thinking of the end. I still felt cheated. I still liked the movie although I won't forgive Spielberg that trespass.

Jeez, tough crowd to please.