There was a point in Warhorse where I really felt like I’d been taken back into a 1950′s British film, probably staring John Mills and his daughter Hayley, and I wondered how much further Warhorse’s director Steven Spielberg was going to go.
Moments later there was a shot of the Mother (a dour Emily Watson) upon the hillside, drenched in the red hues of a sunset and the time-travel was complete. As a nod to those epic films of yesteryear, Warhorse wins the race.
Young Albert (Jeremy Irvine)enlists to service in WWI after his beloved horse, Joey, is sold to the cavalry. Albert’s hopeful journey takes him out of England and across Europe as the war rages on.
Spielberg has such immense skill that even this sugary version of the play (of the book) comes off far better than your average film. But it’s too long, loses it’s way with too many plot-lines and has such an idealistic ending that I felt the need to lay off Christmas candy for a few years.
However, I do recommend you get to the theatre to see it. The visuals are stunning, the battle-scenes traumatic without being graphic and it’s a story worth watching. The sequence where the titular character spends time with a French grandfather and his granddaughter (Niels Arestrup & Celine Buckens) is a small film worthy of it’s own release.
Alternatively, get to the theatre and see the play.
Off The Leash Recommends: Go to the movie theatre!
