Film Review: Journey's End (2018)

Rating: 7/10
Genre: War/Drama
Related Titles: All Quiet on the Western Front, War Horse, Private Peaceful, Regeneration. 
By Rebecca Mannick 

Journey's End is an adaption of R. C. Sherriff's 1928 play which based on World War I. The movie is set over 6 days in 1918 and its stalemate in the trenches. You follow the journey of Jimmy Raleigh, who joins the war as an optimistic young man looking for his sisters boyfriend, Captain Stanhope. He is soon to find out that 4 years in the trenches has completely changed Stanhope who has now turned to alcohol to cope with the unimaginable situation millions of young men find themselves defending their country. You learn that life on the trenches is hell on earth and decisions made by those in charge are made in their own best interests. 

Funnily enough we studied this play in school, however I couldn't remember the plot but only a few names. On the whole this was a very solid movie. I especially appreciated the colour grading and lighting. It really captured the nature of World War I and how incredibly grim it was. They were able to successfully keep the same grey colours as a theme throughout the entire movie. The lighting as well was phenomenal, as most of the scenes are in one bunker, it must have been very difficult to shoot in low light while the audience can see all that is going on. 

The performances by the actors were also truly stunning. Each main character had there own personality which was portrayed really beautifully and accurate to how R. C. Sherriff wrote them in his play. Especially by Sam Claflin who played Captain Stanhope - he was so believable in playing this broken man struggling to deal with life in the trenches, as well as setting an example to his troops around him. I also love Paul Bettany - I am a fan of his work in 'Wimbledon' and 'A Knights Tale' (two of my favourite movies). Bettany as Osborne aka 'uncle' was my favourite character. He really was able to demonstrate how many honest British men sacrificed themselves for the war effort. 

There's nothing too negative to say about this adaption of Journey's End. The story line as a whole is completely morbid and devastating, just like the Great War. I will warn you that there is no happy ending, or anything positive at all that happens to be honest. You don't necessarily have to read the play beforehand but it would just confirm how true to the story the movie stays. 

Rating: 8/10
By Leanne Harragan

An all-round fantastic adaptation of R.C Sherriff's cutting play about the futility of war. It's sometimes easy for the message to be lost in translation but this film cuts down the actions of those in command just as harshly as the play. The ridiculous actions and orders of those in high command were brought into question on more than one occasion.

I was very exciting to see this film as I remember the play from my secondary school English Lit days, having seen many of the other books brought to life on the big screen I was extremely excited for this one. Knowing that I enjoyed the play so much, I was a little worries that it wouldn't live up to expectations, but the team working on this film have done an amazing job. 

One of the highlights of this film for me was the cast. Asa Butterfield as young newbie Raleigh did a wonderful job, he was a great cast for showing how quickly the optimistic attitude and readiness of new soldiers could be chipped away so quickly. Sam Claflin and Tom Sturridge both did fantastic jobs playing the soldiers who were really struggling with their circumstances and both coping in different ways. Sam Claflin did an especially great job playing the part of alcoholic Stanhope struggling to lead a company of men to their fate. One of my favourite characters came in the form of Stephen Graham who was a little rough around the edges and provided great comical relief in a film that is solely focused on the gloom and doom of the Great War.

If you are looking for an action-packed war film, then this is not the one to watch, instead it focuses on trench-life and the claustrophobic, murky trenches. The pointless raids that soldiers were faced to run into. The futility of war and the gritty edge of Sherriff's work is pleasantly not modified or modernised and the ending is just as devastating as a remember. 

My final mention goes to the delivery of Osborne's letter, the voice-over as he read the letter really nailed home the hard truths of the war and it's a tough moment to watch.

I would definitely recommend seeing this film as it's different from most war films and provides an alternative look at the Great War away from the fighting focusing on the waiting and fear that the soldiers and captains faced on a day-to-day basis.