Set amidst the stunning canvases of rural England during the First World War, Steven Spielberg's War Horse tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a horse, Joey, and his young trainer, Albert. But when the duo are forced apart by the war, we get to follow Joey as he brings inspiration to those he meets.
War Horse is long, a bit cliche and overly dramatic. The sweeping landscapes reminded me of 2008's Australia, and without any true human stars the film seemed to lack a major component during its heavily emotional sequences. But still, even with all of that, I enjoyed it.
I'm not sure if it is my admiration for animals or my strong interest in war-themed films, but I walked away from War Horse having been heavily entertained. I did feel that Jeremy Irvine could have preformed a bit better, especially during his early scenes. But the truth of the matter is that the entire first hour of the film could have used a major facelift - I mean, it did take forever for the actual war to start.
But for all the things that didn't work, there was an equal number that did. A French farmer and his granddaughter steal the show during their half hour segment, and no one can deny the emotional impact of the film's climax where Joey ventures into the heart of No Man's Land. The film is presented in six different segments as Joey works his way through the war, and while you will either love or hate each individual one, it is hard to deny the overall effect of them all.
