Sometimes I watch a Film that comes highly recommended - and can find it a little disappointing. '1917' was more than that - it struck me very soon into the Film that, whatever story this was, it was so Fictionalised it bore no semblance to the reality of the Year it was trying to portray. Supposedly the 6th April 1917 two (yes, TWO) British Soldiers are ordered to make their way forward to make contact with a British Unit that is being led into a 'trap' with orders to stop any such assault. I would like to say that there is more to the story than that BUT there isn't. The Film is shot in an apparent 'one continuous take' pseudo-documentary way which occasionally rankles. Make no mistake though, the Cinematography by Roger Deakins FULLY deserves the Oscar it was awarded - it is just that the actual depiction of WW1 and story make no sense whatever. There are real issues - firstly, I never felt that the dialog or the actors were in 'period' being too 21st Century and not Early 20th (for how to do this see 'Gettysburg' where the lines and pace of the actors match the 19th Century). Secondly, the story unfolds across a landscape in which all the elements are there BUT you never get the REAL horror of what it was truly like to fight in this hell-hole. I'm not even going to comment on some of the more absurd aspects. A General in a front-line dugout? Not likely! Save 1600 men from an ambush - by sending TWO? A RAT setting off a booby-trap in a German underground bunker? I could go on but it is pointless. The only 'enemy' to appear are not even stereotypes, just absurd - a German pilot who survives a flaming crash in his Albatros fighter because our two heroes pull him from the flaming wreckage - immediately decides to pull a knife and attack one of them. What?? The other German soldiers also conform to the 'Star Wars Stormtrooper Complex' - where, despite their military reputation, they simply cannot shoot straight. These would be the same troops who, the previous year, caused horrific casualties to the British on The Somme. Overall, this is a very well-made piece of Cinema BUT simply is NOT accurate in it's depiction of the 'Great War' and feel an opportunity has been missed. I even felt that it's award of the Oscar for 'Best Visual Effects' was undeserved as they just weren't good at all (that Oscar should have gone to Alita: Battle Angel). Once again, too many British Film critics were happy to jump on the Mendes bandwagon calling this a 'masterpiece' - it isn't - Kubrick's 'Paths Of Glory' is WAY superior to this....