Movie Rating

 Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

War/Drama

Camera Work and Editing (18/20): 

The cinematography in Hacksaw Ridge is both intense and immersive, especially during the battle scenes. The use of long takes and close-up shots during the chaotic sequences effectively captures the horrors of war. For example, the scene where Doss rescues wounded soldiers amidst explosions and gunfire is visually striking and emotionally charged. However, the graphic depictions of injuries and death might be overwhelming for some viewers, slightly detracting from the overall experience, which is why it earned 18 points instead of a perfect score. 

Dialogue, Narration, and Background Music (20/20): 

The film’s dialogue is poignant and reflective of the era. A powerful example is when Desmond’s father, played by Hugo Weaving, shares his WWI experiences and their impact on him, adding depth to Desmond’s convictions against violence. The background music, especially during battle scenes and moments of personal reflection, such as when Doss prays while rescuing soldiers, enhances the emotional gravity of the story. Rupert Gregson-Williams’ score subtly underscores the tension and drama without overpowering the narrative, earning full marks in this category. 

Compelling and Interesting Actors (17/20): 

Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of Desmond Doss is the heart of the film, showcasing Doss’s quiet determination and deep moral conviction. His performance is particularly compelling in scenes where he stands firm in his beliefs despite intense pressure. However, while Garfield’s performance is outstanding, some supporting characters, like Doss’s commanding officers and a few fellow soldiers, are less developed and feel more like archetypes rather than fully fleshed-out individuals. This slight shortfall in character depth is why this category received a score of 17 instead of a perfect score. 

Total Score: 75/80 

This evaluation of Hacksaw Ridge highlights the film’s excellence in storytelling, technical execution, and performances, with minor deductions for the overwhelming intensity of the battle scenes and the development of secondary characters. Overall, the film offers a high-quality cinematic experience that resonates emotionally and visually with its audience. 

 

Technical Elements of Film

 Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

War/Drama

I chose this film to comment on a few of the angles, movements, and shots there were shown throughout the movie. This movie is based on the true story of Pfc Desmond T. Doss is an army medic who saved about 75 lives without ever firing a shot. 

To start with at 31:05, We can see an example of a over the shoulder shot of the Superior office and Private Ryker as the Superior officer is asking him why does he have a knife stuck on his foot creating tension, and as can be seen from the Private reaction that he is holding back the pain from the knife stuck on his foot. Over the shoulder shots are usually used for creating connections between the characters in dialogue or to draw the audience's attention to what one character is focusing on.

Next is Shallow focus at 1:00:28, In this shot the foreground is clear while the middle-ground and background are slightly blurred. The shot draws attention to Private Doss emotion as he explains to the court of his why he refuse to carry a weapon, in this scene it highlights Doss resolve and vulnerability while the rest of the world around him fades into the background. The scene can signify the overwhelming environment of the courtroom and the judgement he's under.

For the third technical aspect of the film it will be the crane shot at 1:10:49, In this scene the soldiers can be seen climbing up the cliff, the crane shot moves upward as its mirroring the soldiers movement emphasizing the daunting task ahead of them.  The Crane shot immerses the audience as if they were climbing alongside the soldiers.

   For our fourth one it will be a low angle shot at 1:50:23, In this shot Desmond is seen to be pulling the injured soldiers to safety. Low angle shots typically make a subject appear more powerful/dominant, Given that the subject is Desmond Ross covered dirt and sweat, the low angle shot makes him seem appear larger than life conveying a sense of heroism also shows the situation he is in. 

In addition, during this scene you can also hear the music (sound motif) creating a sense of urgency as he continues to save lives. The audiences may focus on Desmond's courageous act and the life and death stakes of the situation.

For the final one it will be a high angle shot at 2:08:05 ending of the film , In this shot Desmond is being lowered from the ridge, this shot makes him seem like a divine figure, underlining the reverence that the soldiers now have for him. It's a powerful visual that captures his character, the sacrifices he made, and how he is forever changed by the horrors of war.

Hacksaw Ridge is one of my favorite films because of Desmond (Andrew Garfield) character even though he refused to use a rifle, he still wanted to help using his medical expertise. He fought for what he believe in but still wanted to serve his country. 

 

Sound Art Group Project

Foley sounds

In this video we show how we make Foley sounds such as breaking bone, rain, thunder, and wind

Sound Art project

https://www.bandlab.com/track/01415373-2375-ef11-bdfd-000d3a96c7c8?sharedKey=pik_9gnsHEeonIA0XfIlPw

In this project we use different sound effects to make our sound art project its about two people fighting and throwing fists at each other.

Composition

 Framing and Depth of Field

Focus pull

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_xItw7Q4No&t=23s

The technique of changing the focus point in a shot to shift the audience’s attention from one subject to another.where you want your viewer to look by adjusting which part of the scene is sharp and which is blurred, often done smoothly during a shot to create a dynamic visual effect. In this example from Casino Royale where the Camera shifts from Bond to the broken glass amplifying  all the tension that’s been building up prior to that moment. 

Shallow focus

The shot taken behind this character seems that he is lost on his thoughts where the middle and background are blurred only the foreground is only visible. Shallow focuses on a camera technique where only a small part of the scene is in sharp focus, with the rest blurred, emphasizing a particular subject.

Deep Focus

Where of all three planes of vision are sharp where all details of the frame can be seen or read. Where the two subjects are seen to be reading where one is standing and the other is sitting and the background surrounded by books where they are in a library. Deep focus involves keeping the entire scene, from foreground to background, in sharp focus, allowing the audience to see all elements clearly.

Standard Focus

Janelle seems to be reading by her facial expression and the looks on her face are a bit confused. The background is a bit blurry but you can still recognize the computer and books. The foreground and middle ground are sharp but the background is slightly out of focus.

Rules of thirds

The student on the left seems to be reading a book and is surrounded by them where he seems to be peaceful and focused. Anything placed in the left or top of the frame carries. Rules of thirds compositional guideline in photography and visual arts where an image is divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines.