In the age of cold weapons, cavalry was considered the most effective fast-moving force. The First World War was a turning point in the history of the cavalry branch. In the early days of the war and the war on the Eastern Front, cavalry was used on a large scale; but with the emergence of trenches, the promotion of machine guns and cannons, and the invention of tanks, the vulnerability of horses became prominent, and eventually they gradually disappeared from the stage of history. In the later period, war horses were mainly used for logistics and reconnaissance. Although their role was still not to be underestimated, they were no longer comparable to the Mongolian iron hoofs that traveled across Eurasia. The film (and novel) presents the cruelty of war from the perspective of what happened to a warhorse in World War I, which is both innovative and meaningful. From the beginning of the traditional raid being broken, to transporting the wounded and pulling heavy objects, to the last struggle with barbed wire, this is actually a documentary reflecting the transformation and decline of the horse's role.
It is understandable that this film has only a 7.2 rating on IMDB, because it is too orthodox and too mainstream. In fact, if you compare this film with "All Quiet on the Western Front", which also reflected World War I, you will find that the predecessors did the same or even better 80 years ago: multiple times by one item (leather shoes) Changing owners reflects the impermanence of war; hostile soldiers complain to each other on the battlefield; young people join the war from blood to regret; talk about the meaning of war, etc. This film also crosses the three perspectives of Britain, France and Germany, which is considered innovative; but I feel that there is a clear tendency to favor one over the other, and the meaning of the French grandson and grandson is unclear and a little procrastinated.
Other worthy points of the film: the two auctions echo each other; jokes are interspersed from time to time in the epic film (the dumb-headed goose steals the spotlight); the scene where the horse is wrapped in iron wire is very emotional; the two horses cherish each other very warmly; the level of the animal trainer is very high ( Joey's part is contributed by 14 horses) etc. Of course, Spielberg's royal team is still strong, and has been nominated for a total of 5 Oscar technology awards, although not one in the end.
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