REVIEW: Journey's End

It is a shame how there are some movies out there that come and go without people becoming aware of them.  Each year there are some hidden gems that get limited releases, go to rental, and receive little in the way of promotion.  One such movie from this year is World War One set Journey's End, an adaptation of a play written by R.C. Sherriff.  Apparently, this is the fifth adaptation of the play.

The story revolves around a young officer fresh out of training, Second Lieutenant Raleigh (Asa Butterfield), who requests from his high ranking uncle that he be posted with an acquaintance of his, Captain Stanhope (Sam Claflin).  With rumours of a massive German attack imminent, the young Raleigh is undeterred in his optimism and naivety of what the war is actually like.  Stanhope is a far cry from what Raleigh knew him as.  He is a veteran of the war who constantly drinks to cope with the tragedy he has been witness to.  We learn that Stanhope had a courting relationship with Raleigh's sister, and, because of that, he is terrified of how young Raleigh will now see him and what he will relay back to his sister.

Butterfield has been acting on screen since the age of nine.  He is a child actor who has grown up and seems to refuse being remembered simply as a child actor.  This role sees him as a young man, an elevation for him that he takes and runs with.  To me, it was similar to Will Poulter's performance in The Revenant, where he showed he was now taking on adult roles.  Butterfield has the innocence, but it is tested, and Butterfield handles himself remarkably well.  Claflin, who I had recognized from his solid role as Finnick in The Hunger Games movies, works to make sure Stanhope is a rich character who is caught in his own head, yet shows a sincere empathy at times.  We toss into the mix the wonderful Paul Bettany as Lieutenant Osborne, close friend of Stanhope, and we have ourselves a nice acting trio that are dedicated to the emotions and nuances of the project.

It is easy to understand how this was a play, because it primarily takes place in an officer's bunker in the trenches.  While there may not be much changing in the way of scenery, it never gets boring.  The script probes these characters, and they evolve in front of us.  Tension itself is present, and is heightened when Stanhope is commanded to have his soldiers perform a raid of the German trenches.  He is told that he has to send two officers along, and must decided if he will send his friend or young Raleigh.

One of the nicest things about Journey's End is that director Saul Dibb understand both his budget and the environment needed to tell the story correctly.  The trenches are built in a way that makes us feel they are authentic and full of doom, and there is never any attempt to shoot something that won't look good.  Restraint is needed for this kind of decision, as too many directors fall into the trap of trying to create a scope that is beyond their means.

With both a solid script and engaging performances, this movie is an easy recommendation.  It is a wartime drama that is personal and has a wonderfully complex character in Stanhope.  We get involved emotionally with the decisions, behaviours, and actions of these people, feeling the pressure of what they are facing.  It may have only made one hundred and sixty thousand dollars in theatres, but it is easily worth the few bucks to spend on renting it.

Rating - 3.5 out of 4 stars