Andrew Garfield’s portrayal in the biographical war film Hacksaw Ridge has been praised by fans as “perfect”. The movie is an adaptation of a true war story, as depicted in the 2004 documentary The Conscientious Objector.
Directed by Mel Gibson, well known for his roles in the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon series, and for his triple role in Braveheart, the film features Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss. Desmond was a real-life army medic who gained fame for refusing to bear arms due to his religious beliefs.
The film recounts the touching tale of how Desmond became the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor for his bravery during service. Rotten Tomatoes rates the film with an 84 per cent score, reinforced by numerous positive audience reviews.
A viewer commended: “Desmond Doss was a truly incredible man, and Andrew Garfield’s portrayal was perfect. The combat is truly breathtaking, and there were many scenes where it felt as though I was holding my breath. Perfect film.”
Before his role as a war hero, Andrew had already made a name for himself as Spider-Man in 2012, and again in 2014. He reprised the role in 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home. His portrayal of a real-life hero earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor, while the film secured wins for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing.
One critic praised the film as a “masterpiece” although added they would have liked to see more of the unit Desmond was part of. Another reviewer exclaimed: “Best movie I have ever seen.”
This viewer continued: “I watched Hacksaw Ridge for the first time last night, and I can’t stop thinking about it. Andrew Garfield’s performance as Desmond Doss was incredible; he brought so much heart and conviction to the role, making Doss’s story even more powerful.
“The film’s depiction of war was intense and brutally realistic, but it never lost sight of its emotional core. Seeing Doss stick to his principles and save so many lives without ever firing a weapon was inspiring.”
Andrew shared the screen with notable actors in the award-winning film, including Sam Worthington, famous for his role as Jake Sully in the Avatar franchise, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughn, and Hugo Weaving. One reviewer was full of praise for Andrew’s performance, though they weren’t entirely sold on the rest of the cast.
Their verdict: “Andrew Garfield acts his heart out and has an earnest and genuine quality to him. The side characters are fine, with Vince Vaughn being the one sore spot. I love Teresa Palmer and Hugo Weaving’s performances and the rawness of each of their characters.”
Meanwhile, another critic was thoroughly impressed, remarking: “An unusual story told incredibly well. For a genre filled with movies about bravery in the face of fire, this one stands above the rest. Andrew Garfield’s character is well scripted and well cast.”
For those keen to watch, Hacksaw Ridge is available for rent via Apple TV and Amazon Prime.
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