Set in Europe during World War I, a teenager, Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) convinces his family to adopt a horse from an auction which he names Joey (and has different names throughout the film as he meets new people, but I'll be calling him Joey for the sake of this review) and promises to raise it. However, once the war calls out for whatever is best, the general takes Joey and Albert puts on him his dad's ribbon as a way of remembering him and we follow the horse's experience from there. Whether he be on the Allies or the Central Powers, you're just rooting for the horse and making sure he's alive.
This film is technically beautiful. The art-direction and the cinematography can draw in any viewer easily and can make a 4th grader even sit through a two-and-a-half hour film. The sound, too, put me in a trance of fear and excitement at the same time, and I also believe was snubbed at the Oscars. It is a spectacle to watch this film, and is worth the excitement.
What steals the show, though, is John Williams' score. It's hard not to appreciate him by now. He's won five Oscars, been nominated for 40, and is still the best guy to get right now. His music is astounding, even in this film. It truly helps add to the feeling of every character Joey encounters (of course, not deliberately), and adds a little touch for the striking war scenes or the tear-jerking happy scenes. At the end, it will be because of John Williams that you will be smiling as you leave the theater.
Spielberg's touch on any film is magic. Sure, he produces close to every film nowadays, but when he directs, he has a truly distinct style. He puts the magic touch on any film, whether it be blockbuster (Jaws, E.T., Indiana Jones) or serious-mode (more recent like Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me if You Can), he always finds a way to impress audiences. What I feel is the best shot is a little past the beginning when Albert is training Joey, seeing him ride the horse in a distanced shot feels so marvelous with all of the beautiful scenery in the sunset, feels like the most moving scene Spielberg directed since the first act of Saving Private Ryan.
This is not a film about a horse in a war. WWI is the secondary of the plot. The film is about a horse's encounters with many people and the relationships the people have with him. As I stated, he doesn't mean to - everybody else does. Spielberg treats Joey as a horse and that's all he is. He doesn't speak or cry when there's an emotional scene, he just responds to whatever he is commanded, and this is a huge plus to the film.War Horse is a technical masterpiece and is such a well-made film. Of course, it is not one of Spielberg's best, but that's just like saying how Eyes Wide Shut isn't one of Kubrick's best films. Compared to movies today versus the director's other filmography, this film is terrific. It is definitely worth buying on Blu-Ray, and receives a 3/4.
