Australia, farm. He ran desperately, through the woods and across the hillside, stepping on sand and thorns barefoot. He opened his mouth to find the air, his body swaying and gradually losing control, he still ran desperately.
Archie, one of the protagonists of the film, just enters the audience's field of vision. He made a bet with an arrogant guy and beat the opponent on the horse by running with both legs. Archie is an excellent young man with ample energy, confidence, and yearning for the distance and the future that have grown up with age and reached the peak at this moment. This is the main reason why Archie wants to join the army except for the pure intention of serving the country. He envied his grandfather's past wandering career, but today's grandfather is in an awkward position. On the one hand, he understands Archie's state and desires and does not want to disappoint him; on the other hand, he certainly knows the true face of the war, and obviously Archie can't listen to it, so he can only send encouragement and deep blessings.
With ambition, Archie could not imagine that the blooming of life at this moment would embark on a road of no return that was destined to lose its excitement because of the war.
At the sports meeting, Archie, who had won the sprint, was accepting the cheers of the crowd, while Frank on the side was downcast. Not only did he lose the game, he also lost all his money. Frank, who has no money, goes with Archie who is going to join the army. But he was different from Archie, he didn't want to join the army at all, and he didn't have the idea of working for this country.
The different attitudes of the family that I met on the way to Archie and Frank gave Frank new ideas. This is a blind patriotic enthusiasm that floods the people. The national government uses the power of the people to strengthen certain concepts and make them a guiding direction that has been recognized by the majority. In the attitude of others, Frank seemed to see his future way out, so he wanted to join the army.
Although Frank is much more mature and sophisticated than Archie, he does not have Archie's enthusiasm. He represents another group of relatively passive people, but he also lacks knowledge of the true face of war, blindly waiting for the destiny to come.
The troops are about to set off, leaving the Australian mainland to start an expedition. That remote battlefield and remote war actually have much to do with them, even though these young people have different dreams.
At the first stop, they came to Egypt for training and final preparations for the war. Pyramids, sphinxes, deserts, fake antiques, brothels, and the reunion of old friends, all these are still only related to youth and life.
Finally arrived in Gallipoli, the Turks were waiting for them in the trenches opposite, and the shells passed over their heads and fell into the sea behind them. After stationing, Archie and the others jumped into the sea to swim. The blue water and the strong human body are one of the most beautiful scenes in the movie, which continue to praise the beauty of life like an oil painting. When the fragments of the shells slowly fell in the water, anxiety and fear flashed on their faces.
The battle started, and after the charge was launched, there were companions who could never come back. Poor command, deployment, and even the entire combat plan have made this group of the best young men from Australia a live target for the enemy to practice shooting. The director did not zoom in to show the entire battlefield, but watched them rise from the trenches and fall again like a calm bystander, leaving them with deep fear and complete despair for those waiting for orders behind them.
Frank became a messenger because of Archie's recommendation. He ran desperately, hoping to save the lives of more of his companions. When the Charge blew again before he arrived, he howled desperately but uselessly, collapsed and fell.
At this moment, Archie, facing the god of death so close, could not have more thoughts. He used the encouragement of his grandfather before the sprint competition to calm his fears, rushed out of the trenches and ran forward until the bullet passed through his body.
The film freezes at the last moment of this life. Before a lot of foreshadowing, showing the vitality and beauty of life, but in the end, life disappears meaninglessly in an instant, and sorrow hits the face.
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