Review: War Horse

Ever wonder what Sam and Frodo’s relationship in The Lord of the Rings would be like if Frodo had been a horse?  Steven Spielberg must have and War Horse is his answer. It is also his entry into the 2011 Academy Awards race, in a move that can be charitably described as “misguided”.  This epic take on the First World War lacks soul, sensibility and sincerity.  If ever a film felt manufactured, Snore Horse is it.

War Horse trots into UK cinemas on 13 January

In the country side of Devon in 1914, a colt, given the name Joey, is born and raised by the son of a war vet with a drink problem.  With the fate of their farm in hanging in the balance, young and determined Albert (Jeremy Irvine) trains Joey continuously and the powerful thoroughbred miraculously manages to plough the rocky farmland.  Spielberg intends this to be a dramatic, thrilling turn of events, yet unfortunately it remains no more than a horse ploughing a field, regardless of how low the camera angles plunge.  Before long, Albert’s father (Peter Mullan) has little choice but to sell Joey to the English cavalry in order to save the penniless farm. Tom Hiddleston’s Captain Nicholls promises to return Joey to Albert when and if that becomes possible.  The film then focuses fully on the journey of Joey through the war and his possession by the Germans, eventually jumping ahead four years to 1918 as the end of the war approaches.

You can read the rest of this review at New Empress Magazine, now live!