War Horse - (December 25, 2011): PG-13
Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
Opening Weekend Box Office: #7 with $14,527,972
Domestic Box Office Gross to-date: $48,225,212
Gross Revenue: $52,225,212
Production Budget: $66 million
Director: Steven Spielberg
Though I may not love every entry in his extensive filmography, I have long since learned to pay attention anytime Steven Spielberg gets behind the camera, and many were curious to see what he could do with War Horse, especially since the film was based on a children’s novel that had already received a stage adaptation. As more information about the film was released, it quickly became apparent that this war drama would be banking almost exclusively on its director’s reputation as opposed to a brand-name cast…the main character was largely an unknown, and some of the faces that I did recognize were anything but household names. I was glad to see Tom Hiddleston (Thor) and David Thewlis (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), but I doubted that they would be enough to fill a theater; clearly DreamWorks and Touchstone would have their hands full is selling audiences. With the many action films and animated/family features built off of established franchises hitting during the Holiday Movie Season, a definitive hook would be needed to grab attention, and I wasn’t convinced that footage of a horse running through trenches would be enough. So, out of sheer curiosity dedicated to validating whether a war drama centered on an animal with no bankable actors deserved Oscar buzz, I knew that I would need to review War Horse.
Opening in England just prior to the beginning of World War I, War Horse introduces audiences to a young colt raised by young farmer, Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine); having trained the horse, now named “Joey,” Albert helps plow his father’s farm and build revenue to pay-off the unforgiving landlord, Lyons (David Thewlis). When a storm wipes out the crops, Albert’s father is forced to sell Joey to English forces that are mobilizing for the upcoming war with Germany; understandably devastated, Albert is comforted by the kindly Captain Nicholls (Tom Hiddleston) who promises to return Joey if he can at the conclusion of the war. After Captain Nicholls is killed in battle, Joey is utilized a number of different ways and interacts with several characters across the Western Front, whether that involves working as part of a German ambulance wagon and artillery convoy, or bonding with a young French girl and her kindly grandfather. Making a distinct impression on every person he meets, Joey induces several acts of unprecedented compassion during the war that has engulfed the lives of so many. As fate would have it, Albert eventually ends up serving in the English infantry, having never forgotten his beloved horse, setting up the unlikely possibility that these two friends may eventually reunite and return home safely.
Having the titular “War Horse” switch settings and interact with different characters in unique ways is a thoroughly refreshing way of telling a story that I have not seen in some time, a fact that combines with other beautiful filmmaking elements to make War Horse a thorough epic that one cannot help but enjoy. It does take some time, but you do eventually build a bond with Joey and become truly invested in his welfare, a testament to the strong storytelling abilities of Spielberg. And, in speaking about the famous director, Spielberg once again demonstrates where his true strength lies, as the battle sequences and war settings are given a deep and emotional reality that strongly resembles the profound work that was accomplished in Saving Private Ryan years ago. When it comes to environmental setting, cinematography, and score, War Horse is nothing short of brilliant, adding a certain weight to the film that keeps you engrossed for a majority of the extensive two-and-a-half hour running time. However, even though this war epic showcases some incredibly strong filmmaking that will undoubtedly be acknowledged by the Academy in a few months, the film does almost sink itself with a painfully weak beginning that simply tries too hard.
I did enjoy War Horse, but during the first forty minutes, I was struggling to find anything worthy of the strong critical praise that the film had thus far been receiving, as the film tries far too hard to induce its audience towards empathy. Albert’s first interactions with his beloved Joey are so over-the-top cheesy and sappy, with the mushy score playing every six seconds, that I guarantee you will be rolling your eyes…okay, the horse can pull a plow and save the family farm, but that is nothing that the entire village needs to come out in order to see and cheer. Add-in some of the difficult to understand and badly exaggerated English/Irish accents, and I was half-expecting hobbits like Frodo and Sam to come over the hill and start talking about how much they loved the Shire. From an acting perspective, young Jeremy Irvine clearly demonstrates his inexperience, and though he does seem to relax a bit and fall into a rhythm by the end of the film, I cannot help but question the decision to choose him as the front-man of an undeniable Oscar contender. But, as I said in the “Short and Sweet” review, if you can tolerate these shortcomings, they largely disappear as the film progresses and War Horse takes the opportunity to showcase its true brilliance.
As a true Christmas Day release, War Horse did have an apparent advantage in giving the other Holiday box office contenders some time to make money prior to a fresh, buzz-building entry opening during the notoriously busy movie-going day, but Spielberg appears to have lost some of his draw. Despite its strong quality, War Horse still fell victim to the split audiences that condemned We Bought a Zoo and The Adventures of TinTin to sub-par performances, only pulling in $14.5 million and a seventh place ranking. Luckily, the film seems to have legs that maintain a respectable audience, so execs have little to worry about as receipts continue to chip away at the surprisingly modest production budget, especially since this period drama was recently named one of Entertainment Weekly’s 25 films that have to be seen before Oscar Night. At the very least, if you are in any way a fan or war films or Steven Spielberg (and the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive), then you owe it to yourself to see War Horse. This drama proves that simple trailers can dramatically undersell a quality film, and if you in any way want to be prepared for Awards Season, then you need to make your way to the theater.
Overall Recommendation: High
