goreilly40
This movie showed a brutally honest depiction of the tragedy that was the fateful Gallipoli campaign. The futility of trench warfare, the grim conditions that the soldiers unfortunate enough to be there had to endure and the sheer ferocity of the Turkish defence were some of the more accurate I've seen in war movies. The fateful Battle of the Nek was a faithful depiction, it shows an Australian Colonel, not a British officer as some think, ordering the the ill-fated attack to continue despite the first waves being massacred within seconds of going over the top which sadly is what happened. The only real issue I had with the movie was the absence of the Royal Welch Fusiliers who also suffered heavy losses at the Nek on that fateful day. The story is compelling and although the two main protagonists are fictional, their story is not too far from the truth, the naive romantic ideals young men at the time had of the war, it would be over by Christmas, it would be a picnic etc, then when the nightmare of reality hit home was again excellently done. The ending is one of the saddest and emotional I've seen when the soldiers know what's coming. All in all this movie is such an honest depiction of a period which some have tried to forget and one to own if your into history and war movies.
peefyn
This movie is not unique in its approach to war: instead of actual scenes of warfare, it rather uses it as a backdrop. Many movies does this. I guess I'm mentioning it here because it did so successfully. You are forced to reflect over the pointless sides of war, and what motivated those who enlisted.The movie is about the first world war, and it manages to display in and its members in a way that makes them seem like people of today. Other than their surroundings, they behave much like one would expect people do now, and the movie is all the much better for it. Often the stiff characters in war movies, especially those set during the first world war, distances you from the characters. In this, their liveliness has the opposite effect, and you actually relate to the relationships and emotions you see on screen.The music has not aged well, and you'd think they'd know that the sound of laser guns in the soundtrack would not stand the test of time. Oh well.
videorama-759-859391
I hadn't seen this seen this movie for only twenty years, where I do remember seeing it at the drive in, when I was twelve. It was on with The Kentucky Fried Movie, which me and my folks left early in that one. Coming to watch Gallipoli again, I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed it. I've never been one for these kind of films, save for the Vietnam ones. Gallipoli is the exception. And I think by now, we have enough of Gallipoli, being sensualized or glorified through mini series, what not. But it was a horrible war, at much a cost. A lot of lives were lost. We follow two young men, competitors in many ways. The two become good friends, when they sign up for this horrible war. The opening dialogue, is a memorable quote I'll never forget. Mark Lee as one of the men, is one hell of a runner, the more serious of the two. Of course the other guy was Mel, his AFI nominated performance. He was very good, granted that. He contributed well to this film, partially a reason to see it. It's a shame Lee's career didn't head in the same path, one starring part in Crownies, some years back, as Todd Lasance's lawyer dad. The story moves well, from the before to the enlisting of this war, and what was required, Mel's character, struggling with trying to get a horse moving, which looks no easy feat, or this particular horse was just stubborn. Mel's character, Arty I think it was, looked like he didn't belong in this war, where Lee's zest to enlist, grew on him. The period of war is captured so well, with some frighteningly if incredibly tense moments, near the end, during the hell of war, the final frame, paused, at the sound of the whistle, where Mel buys it unforgettable. There's a so powerful duration before that on the war field, with men sweating, under attack, you almost feel your there. This, being the first film about this war of great losses, for some reason is just entertaining and absorbing, and I don't know what it is. It's because, instead of just being a whole film of life on the battlefield, we go into the lives of these young men, before making that choice, that could even see em die, or live. It was the way the story was handled, some nice R and R scenes, that sees the two on their journey, before we reach the remaining part of film, in combat. Too we have some humorous touches, where Gibson's character really attributed here. I remember my folks being disappointed about this one. Gallipoli has a special magic about it, which makes it stand unique to all the other films of this type. Besides just being based on war, it's the other things I've mentioned, added qualities, that's makes it the movie more appealing and attractive.
LeonLouisRicci
One of those Paradoxes. A Beautiful War Film. But of course the Movie is much more than a War Movie. It is about Male Bonding, Friendship, Sacrifice, Patriotism and most of All the Futility that was World War One. Along with such Great Films as All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) and Paths of Glory (1957) this is Another Example of what can Only be Described as the Fog of War Blinding the Commanders and Removing any Sense that is Common in Everyday Thought.The Film's Finale Portrays this Trench Warfare in a Gripping Third Act that Punctuates the Poetry Displayed in the First Two Thirds with its Excellent Cinematography and Lush Warm Colors. It is Deliberately Paced and Unfolds as Character Studies of Australian Youth Plucked from Their Prime and Placed in a Hell-Hole on the other side of the World.There may be a Misstep or Two like an Occasional Synthesizer Intruding on the Organic Beauty of the Film, or a Lopsided, Misplaced Nationalistic Conceit at the End (that the Director now acknowledges), but Overall this is Fine Filmmaking and is also Footnoted as an Early Career Starter for Director Weir and a Virtually Unknown Mel Gibson.The On Location Scenes in Egypt also Add a Layer on Top of this Already Well Textured Film that is a Fine Production All Around.
