“War Horse” Review by Aaron

Galloping across the farms and battlefields of Western Europe, Spielberg’s “War Horse” follows the harrowing journey of a down home horse, Joey, from dewy-eyed foal to a stalwart steed of war. Raised from a baby by Albert Narracott, played by Jeremy Irvine, the tale is one of abiding love between human and horse, and is based on a children’s book by Michael Morpurgo.

Opening on sweeping scenes of the English countryside, the first few minutes of “War Horse” initiate the bond between the two when Albert witnesses the foal’s birth. Albert’s father Ted, played by Peter Mullan, soon purchases the horse. Joey becomes Albert’s responsibility to train, and the two form a powerful bond, but financial troubles force Ted to sell Joey to the army when World War I breaks out. Albert cannot stand to part with his horse and enlists in the army to try and find him, which sets in motion this equine war epic.

As a protest against the violence of the First World War, “War Horse” is particularly effective because its main character (Joey) is so clearly a victim, and is bought and traded on a whim from the English countryside to the Somme. While there are certainly antagonists in the film, the roll call of characters is filled with victims of the war. Among a host of characters, circumstance is the only consistently confounding villain.

One major problem with this film is that it contains an odd dichotomy between the farm-filled fantasy land of England and the bloody battlefields of mainland Europe. The stark contrast between the two settings serves to underline the horrors of war but also makes the film seem oddly divided and conceptually incongruous. Spielberg attempts to smooth out this transition with (admittedly) beautiful cinematography work of a cavalry charge through French wheat fields, but there’s still a big thud when you fall into the trenches. It should also be noted that some moments in this film are undeniably but adorably cheesy.

I found that the cheesy moments in the movie mostly occur at the hands of Irvine, who often seems just a little too in love with his horse (granted, that’s the point of the story). Emily Watson plays Albert’s mother, Rose, as an admirable and forgiving wife and mother while David Thewlis plays their nasty landlord with distinction.

Whatever jarring moments the movie may have, “War Horse” is a stunning war epic about survival and strength of will, but also has hints of humor, like those when a British officer tells the equine Joey that, “You’re in the army now, son.” Joey’s journey through history’s most terrifying war is one that you’ll want to see in theaters for its wonderful cinematography.

Oh, and I should also mention that I tried my utmost to find a name for the horse that played Joey, but despite his obvious acting chops, he’s nowhere to be found. I’d love to see him on stage at the academy awards accepting an Oscar for this role.

Four Hooves Out Of Five