War Horse

War Horse is released on Friday 13th January 2012. Watch the trailer and read the below review.

thecallsheet.co.uk members who worked on the film include AD's Tom Rye and Sarah Mooney, Make up Artists, Adrian Rigby, Heather Manson, Nadia Stacey, Paul Boyce & Paula Seabright. Charlie Hayes in Locations, Alex Gavigan was the Set PA, runner David Weider and Rachel King was the Unit Nurse.

War Horse has been tipped heavily in the Oscar race and deservedly so. The opening 20 minutes feels a touch melodramatic and like a picture postcard version of England; Castle Combe in Wiltshire being the backdrop for the opening, eve-of-war scenes. It's hard to imagine an English director lighting and dressing the picturesque village like a Disneyland-replica, but the production design & cinematography is rich and lush during these pre-war scenes. The accuracy and attention to detail in costume, make-up & hair is near perfect, with a dedicated make-up team working on 'Joey' the Horse.

The arrival of Tom Hiddleston's character kicks the film into life when the onset of war triggers a series of incredible events for the Horse and all those who ride on her. War Horse's journey reflects several sides of the conflict, it's magical quality is identified by several of the films key characters during its odyssey, despite the ongoing conflict.

As with Schindlers List, Saving Private Ryan & Band of Brothers, Steven Spielberg captures battle sequences that stick with you, despite a more sanitised depiction for this 12A rated film. The battle scenes in War Horse are epic in scale but far less brutal than his previous work, yet it doesn't lose any potency for it. The first battle sequence, where Benedict Cumberbatch leads the charge against a unprepared garrison is exceptional. As is the sequence leading up to, and the scene featuring Toby Kebbell , which is perhaps the films defining moment.

Spielberg had claimed that this should be a war movie that parents could take their children to. Despite a few saccharine moments, War Horse is a wonderfully told story on a scale that few can match.