Peter Jackson has you climb into the trenches for an authentic look at “The war to end all wars” through the eyes of British soldiers. The academy award winning director (“The Lord of the Rings”&“The Hobbit” Trilogies) poured through 600 hours of interviews from the BBC and 100 hours of archival footage acquired from the Imperial War Museum.
He had it restored, digitized, and colorized to give audiences a total immersive experience, accepting no fee, he restored it at his own cost, then returned the updated footage to the Museum for their archives. Seeing the visuals and hearing the details from real soldiers who experienced the Great War is something that would have been impossible a few years ago. But with present day technology, It’s like going back 100 years in a time machine.
This is Jackson’s first documentary and a tribute to his grandfather, Sgt. William Jackson, along with all the British soldiers who served. He used the actual voices from the BBC interviews to make this a first person account of the war. It is chilling and amazing to be able to see and hear a personal description of the conditions, feelings, loneliness and dreams while experiencing the horrific day-to-day life they had to endure.
These soldiers were the first generation involved in a global war. Jackson wanted the footage colorized because he says these men didn’t fight in black and white. They lived it in color and he didn’t want it to look like a tintype or Charlie Chaplin movie, but one that audiences could visually relate to.
Death was a constant companion, and it is for the audience as well. There are disturbing images of injured and dead soldiers as well as their horses. It’s been said, “War is Mud” and “War is Hell.” And after watching this, you’ll understand. These are graphic images.
But reliving the stories told by these soldiers draws you in. Some are heartbreaking about their longing to go home, be with loved ones and get relief from their nightmare existence. But there are also many stories of camaraderie, even with the enemy, and humor peppered throughout that took the edge off and gave them momentary relief from the horror of war.
The title of the film was inspired by the line “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old” from Laurence Binyon’s famous 1914 poem “For the Fallen” in the Ode of Remembrance. Jackson helps us remember with this documentary. He has gone above and beyond to give us the most realistic view of this war ever produced for all to see. It’s a window into this war of mud and blood as a tribute to those who sacrificed so much, and give all the opportunity to see and hear their stories told with their own voices.
There will never be a war like this again, but Jackson brings these long dead and haunting images back to life in this graphic film. You can almost touch them. And they will touch you.
Warner Bros. Pictures Documentary 1 hour 39 minutes R
