By Travis Johnson
Joining Hounds of Love and Boys in the Trees, Hacksaw Ridge is the third Australian film to have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
Starring Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Teresa Palmer and Sam Worthington, the Sydney shot Hacksaw Ridge is a WWII drama that tells the story of committed pacifist Desmond Doss (Garfield), who saved 75 men at the Battle of Okinawa, the largest amphibious assault of the Pacific theatre – all while refusing to so much as carry a gun. Doss became the first conscientious objector to win the Congressional Medal of Honour.
Luke Bracey, Ryan Corr, Rachel Griffiths, Richard Roxburgh, Luke Pegler, Ben Mingay, Firass Dirani, Nico Cortez, Harry Greenwood, Milo Gibson and Nathaniel Buxolic also feature.
The film looks amazing – check out the trailer below. There’s a palpable sense of scale and purpose, shot through with a rock solid, unshakeable sense of morality that puts it in line with Gibson’s previous directorial efforts. This also marks Gibson’s first film as director in 10 years (Apocalypto was way back in 2006). Coupled with his lead turn in the well-received Blood Father, this could be ground zero for the disgraced Gibson’s renaissance.
Hacksaw Ridge will be released in Australia on November 3, 2016.
