1917 – 1 star
Technologically impressive, emotionally uninvolving, and bordering on rote. Two British soldiers are despatched on a suicide mission and thereafter play the role of cinematic pinballs. If they succeed, they will save the lives of 1600 men, so, they only sent two? Ah well.
The film desperately tries to be surreal and portentous. It ends up being silly or worse, tedious, and all of the bombast of the score can’t put enough lipstick on this stinker.
The picture’s chief attribute – the longest of long takes, with no cuts – ends up boring the viewer. “Do I have to watch them walk all the way over there?”, you ask. Indeed, you do, but sometimes they run, or jump, or scurry as bombs and planes and snipers harass them. Just like Wreck It Ralph.
It’s pretty. That’s it.
filmvetter 
Too bad. I like a good war film. But the basic premise of this story – as I understood it from the trailer – turned me off a little. It reminded me too much of Saving Private Ryan, but with Brits as the protagonists and WW1 as the backdrop.
Not really even a war pic. More like an obstacle course set in war time.