Film Review: Steven Spielberg Casts a Golden Light Upon ‘War Horse’

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CHICAGO – Opening on Christmas Day is a film about a boy, his horse and war, brought to the screen by America’s most popular living director. “War Horse” is the most critic proof film ever realized. Kidding. This equine epic is Steven Spielberg’s latest, taking advantage of precise filmmaking, emotion and cinematography to deliver a decent holiday package.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

“War Horse” relies on the tugging of the heart strings, which depending on your mood will either bring out the handkerchiefs or get a nice cynical round of jokes going. But the film’s emotional state is in the right place, looking to bridge the gap between the factions in World War One, and hoping like Spielberg’s previous hero “E.T.” to bring War Horse home where he belongs. If that’s not the Holiday Spirit, then we all deserve to be visited by the three ghosts.

The film begins with a horse auction, attended by an English farmer named Ted (Peter Mullan), who needs a plow puller. He spies a spirited stallion named Joey, and despite the animal not being proper for the work, he is determined to buy it. He outbids Lyons (David Tewlis), who is the town rich guy and his landlord, and when he wins the horse Lyons threatens to foreclose on the farm. He sheepishly brings Joey back to his wife Rose (Emily Watson) and son Albert (Jeremy Irvine).

The boy takes a shine to Joey, and when Lyons pressures the family to plow or leave the farm, actually teaches Joey how to be a work horse. But there are storm clouds on the horizon, in the form of England going to war against Germany. Father Ted leads the beloved Joey to town, and sells him to an available warrior, Captain Nicholls (Tom Hiddleston). Albert is heartbroken, and Joey begins an adventure that will see him participating in both sides of the world conflict, with a stop in between to give a sick girl named Emilie (Celine Buckens) some hope. Oh War Horse, is there anything you can’t do?

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “War Horse”

Jeremy Levine as Albert and Joey in ‘War Horse’ Photo credit: Andrew Cooper for DreamWorks Pictures

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “War Horse”