There are myriad war films for people to choose from, and this genre seems to be as strong as ever due to the 2019 epic 1917, the 2022 Oscar-winning movie All Quiet on the Western Front, and this year’s action-packed Sisu, among others.
Evidently, there is no shortage of impactful, harrowing and epic war pieces. Now, director Michael Akkerman makes his feature film directorial debut with Reveille, the latest war film to add in. Reveille had a spectacular festival run in which it won 44 international awards. It can be said that Michael Akkerman came out of the gate with a bang for his first feature film.
Deeply authentic highly immersive incredibly engaging War flick that is “Reveille”. Exceptional writing from Akkerman. This created an unpredictable and highly intriguing movie because he allowed his characters’ lead of course rather than leading them according to narrative as well as scenario. Similarly, Akkerman’s remarkable attention to details in World War II is best shown in this outing. The work from costume department, makeup team, set designers and location scouts all make for one of the most immersive and authentic World War II experiences in cinematic history.
Though some performances were major pitfalls of this film. On the other hand German and Polish actors were just superb giving amazing performance by them that will blow your mind away. However some American soldiers gave such underwhelming performances that it was almost amateurish. Harsh we know but some acting really pulls you out from enjoying what would otherwise be a great reveille movie
“Reveille” written and directed by Michael Akkerman is about a group of German soldiers who after a fierce battle with Americans become gravely injured before being taken into a cave until an intense bombing raid destroys them all together when they come alive again Inside this cavernous sanctuary death converges as American, German and Polish soldiers are forced to make unthinkable decisions against the background of war’s relentless savagery.
From the very start, there is no doubt about it, this is a godforsaken period of World War II – no sign of life other than soldiers, war remnants dominates and sounds of gunfire, screams and explosions pour out from the film engulfing audiences in the disturbing experience. After that, once we meet our soldiers and their fate becomes sealed, it only heightens its visceral elements as will be seen. Our characters have been wounded and without any aid from a medic they are left to die slowly. Eventually Americans try to help German soldiers but what can they really do?
Reveille is unflinching as it dives into the harsh realities of war. Most soldiers’ moralities have been snatched away from them one by one which is something that can easily happen when faced with death or experiencing war. None of these characters values human life especially enemy ones and treat any prisoner irrespective of nationality as if they were animals- spit at them; slap them and make them do what they say.
There isn’t much of a story to Reveille when you come right down to it, the narrative revolving around the characters’ band instead. And we immediately feel connected with them; he hugs us more and more because the film advances that feeling even deeper into our emotional responses, raising the levels of stakes as well as emotional resonance.
Most of the movie’s characters begin Reveille without any sense for human life, shooting and killing any enemy soldier they encounter. However, when the characters spend a good portion of the movie in a cave with their adversaries, their morality is questioned and altered. It is such a rewarding display of character development on Michael Akkerman’s part that seems ethically ambiguous.
Reveille will be one of this decade’s most authentic World War II experiences and has been too. In its simple and cold production design, audiences are immersed in this setting. Apart from other aspects of their costume design such as beautiful accuracies in headgear on each side; among others since Akkerman wants to completely envelop his audience in real WW2-like situation.
But nothing quite compares to how authentic Reveille feels when each side speaks in its own language. The German soldiers speak German while Americans speak English and Poles…well Polish. Every time movies have nationals talk to fellow countrymen from international countries using English (typically with a British accent), that’s annoying like hell-for instance Russian talking English to another Russian-it can’t just happen! Luckily for us viewers during these moments, Reveille doesn’t do this thereby adding plus marks for itself. Different languages do not matter to people who love war films really.
For all practical purposes Reveille is an excellent collection of actors in general. Through some fine performances like by Kevin Sinic (Jens Artur) or Yony Marian (Freder Halbrock). Sergeant Jens Artur was an annoying stoic character and hard-core officer who at first couldn’t stand his new, green troops in this movie. Incredibly focused and more, Kevin Sinic’s interpretation was spot on for his character. Even when he was injured and dying, Artur would still taunt and ridicule the American troops.
Similarly unique is Yony Marian’s (Freder Halbrock) portrayal of one of the younger soldiers who seems like he could be drawn straight from All Quite on the Western Front. Freder has had a pretty rough time as well; he lost friends to gunfire and much of the film is about him recovering from a single bullet wound that is basically killing him. At this point, Freder Yony Marian (Freder Halbrock) grows up a bit because he sees just how awful war can be, and becomes a better soldier because of it.
What is sad is that some of the performances are a drawback to what would have been an excellent movie. Most of the actors playing Americans were too stereotypically American and all their performances felt alike. Some lines were odd or trite indeed, but we might have gotten through that if their acting had been better. It was not though. There was no dimension to this character in a few instances, which feeling like high school play these performers brought out with stiff portrayalsdestroys the whole immersive war drama aspect of it. However, should you manage to overlook that then one may be in for quite possiblthe best war film of this year.
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