Sometimes the only way to send an urgent message was to hand a piece of paper to a soldier and send him into hell on the thin hope he’d somehow make it to the other side and deliver the orders in time.

This is the premise for Sam Mendes’ gripping, heart-stopping, blood- and mud-soaked, immersive and unforgettable “1917.”

With brilliant, innovative, claustrophobically effective directing choices by Mendes, Oscar-worthy cinematography from the living legend Roger Deakins and strong, raw performances from the two young leads, “1917” is a unique viewing experience you won’t soon shake off.
-Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times