War Horse

[shawshankraj]

Release Date: December 28, 2011
Studio: DreamWorks Pictures
Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: Lee Hall, Richard Curtis
Starring: Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Peter Mullan, Niels Arestrup, Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irvine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Toby Kebbell
Genre: Drama
Plot Summary:

From director Steven Spielberg comes "War Horse," an epic adventure for audiences of all ages. Set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War, "War Horse" begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets—British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter—before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man's Land.

The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse—an odyssey of joy and sorrow, passionate friendship and high adventure. "War Horse" is one of the great stories of friendship and war— a successful book, it was turned into a hugely successful international theatrical hit that is arriving on Broadway next year. It now comes to screen in an epic adaptation by one of the great directors in film history.

[slikrapid]

When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets

lassie (returns home), this time with a horse in the main role? well, at least the horse doesn't speak corny melodramatic human lines, which might prove a harder task when considering the human characters or spielberg's moral of the story - seems it partially deals with the universal theme of 'coming back home' which goes much deeper/farther than just its superficial and literal meaning (to simply physically return to one's home), as it also means returning to one's roots or even to one's point of origin (as in 'the birth', but also as in the 'cosmic' beginning of 'time') and one may certainly expect a few patronizing messages regarding the relationship between society/humans & animals which will probably have the usual contrived new-age flavor to it

aside from obvious unbelievable elements like: the horse's journey, being free from long-time service during war-times, being used for heavy-duty work even though it is clearly an officer's type of horse, being constantly inspiring & emotions-evoking, running/galloping in the midst of numerous explosions or inside of trenches,...; it could be interesting unless they overdo it, fi. in the 'cheese & soap department'

as for movies with a lot of horse-time, other than predominantly westerns, i could recommend only two:

The Horse Whisperer (1998) excellent, drama
Hidalgo (2004) very good, adventure

[yoco]

an epic adventure for audiences of all ages

I wonder, will it be true? His last movies aren't all that amazing!

[yoco]