Hacksaw Ridge

Verdict

A forceful, emotionally direct war drama anchored by Andrew Garfield’s committed performance and Mel Gibson’s intense, sometimes bluntly operatic direction. It’s messy, earnest, and overcooked in places, but the battlefield sequences and the central moral conviction make it memorable.

Best for

• viewers who like emotionally charged war dramas
• fans of large-scale practical battle filmmaking
• audiences interested in faith-driven or conscience-based stories
• people who want a heroic true-story framework

Skip if

• you dislike overt religiosity in mainstream dramas
• you prefer subtle, restrained filmmaking
• graphic war violence is a dealbreaker
• you’re sensitive to heavy-handed sentimentality

Overview

Hacksaw Ridge is built around a simple but potent contradiction: a man who refuses to kill, yet walks into one of the bloodiest battlefields of World War II. That premise gives the film real dramatic momentum, and Andrew Garfield carries it with sincerity and physical intensity. The early sections can feel broad and sermon-like, but the character’s convictions are clear enough that the film never loses its center.

Worth noting

Once the battle begins, Mel Gibson leans hard into chaos, gore, and endurance. The Okinawa sequences are brutal and often overwhelming, but they’re staged with a visceral confidence that makes the film hard to ignore. It’s the kind of war movie that wants to be both a spiritual testimony and a combat spectacle, and the tension between those modes is exactly what gives it energy.

Bottom line

The result is uneven but effective. Some viewers will bounce off the blunt symbolism and the heavy-handed emotional cues, while others will find the film’s sincerity refreshing. As a piece of mainstream war cinema, it’s undeniably forceful, and Garfield’s performance gives it enough humanity to hold together the excess.

Top Letterboxd reviews

jessica (1★) · 3995 likes

if i wanted to be preached at for two hours and witness messy explosions with rats crawling everywhere i'd have just gone on film twitter and stated an opinion

clownhead (2★) · 2776 likes

Forgive Me Lord, For I Have Sinned. Regrettably, I Howled Of Laughter When Andrew Garfield Had To Drag Vince Vaughn Around On The Battlefield On The Back Of A Bit Of Cloth Because His Legs No Longer Worked But Vince Was Still Sitting Up And Shooting The Shit Out Of People While Andrew Yanked Him Wildly Through The Mud I'm So Sorry Lord I Know War Is Bad And Mel Gibson Is The Devil But It Was So Funny

Evan (4.5★) · 1908 likes

Hacksaw Ridge might be the most realistic portrayal of War ever put on screen. Mel Gibson proves once again that he is a legitimate top-notch director. This film is incredibly well made. Every aspect of this movie is impressive. The performances. The visuals. The battle scenes. The story. The characters. You name it, and this movie does it well. The man deserves a Best Director nom! If Andrew Garfield isn't AT LEAST nominated for an Oscar, it will be a… more

Frandi Peralta (4.5★) · 1857 likes

I do not understand the hate people have with this movie. I find this movie to be amazing. The acting in this movie is phenomenal. I LOVE IT :)

˗ˏˋ suspirliam ˊˎ˗ (3.5★) · 1765 likes

just found out andrew russell garfield is oscarless????? shocked and appalled

Themes

conscientious objection, faith and conviction, war trauma, heroism, sacrifice, military medicine, pacifism, true story

Topics

war drama, World War II, biographical drama, religious themes, battle sequences, heroism, pacifism, graphic violence, historical epic, emotional