War Horse (2011)

This year, beloved director Steven Spielberg has returned from a six year hiatus with two films, the better of which is War Horse. It is not only a shining new entry into a great director’s repertoire, it is one of this year’s best movies. Based on a book and stage play, it tells the story of a young man who raises and trains a horse that his drunken father paid too much for at an auction. The horse’s name is Joey and he is taken away to serve in the British army. We follow Joey as he passes through the hands of several owners before returning home. This all serves as a way for Spielberg to convey his anti-war message through many eyes, including, most importantly, the horse’s.

It may come as a surprise to viewers that this truly is a movie about a horse, with all human characters being secondary in comparison. I think it is a testament to the film’s greatness that even with all the perfectly timed moments involving the emotional struggles of the humans during the war, the horse Joey is the character with whom we most associate. This film is, after all, a series of events that do not necessarily tell a single story, but act as a collection of triumphs for the four-legged hero which then lead to the final triumph. The movie is saved from being an episodic mess by developing that strong connection between viewer and hero right from the start. The opening scenes are the film’s highlight, establishing an immediate tone in theme and style that gets darker, but ever stronger as the film commences. I love the way this movie looks, with opening scenes looking like they could have been filmed on a 1940s soundstage (John Ford’s How Green Was My Valley springs to mind.) and the finale is almost entirely a silhouette against a dark red Gone with the Wind sky. I felt invigorated by this purposeful throwback look and feel, which could be used as a perfect argument against young people who claim they don’t like old movies. Other aspects of the film follow the same logic. Any unpleasant material is only alluded to, taking place just off the screen. I found the bloodless battle scenes particularly refreshing.

While watching War Horse, I was impressed by the fact that, for the most part, I was watching a real horse. Earlier this year, I groaned that all the digital wizardry that went into creating a nearly-perfect human-esque animal for Rise of the Planet of the Apes still felt too artificial to replace the real thing. Joey actually has character. In a weird way, this horse gives one of the best performances of the year. I felt the same way during the whole film. This is the real thing and I can pretty much guarantee that any sincere film fan will be moved by it. This is a thoroughly beautiful film that, thanks to its universality and a very uplifting nature, will be easily embraced by anyone who sees it. I suspect this is the 2011 movie that will be remembered.

10/10