Australian Penthouse

Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Jeremy Irvine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston, Emily Watson, Niels Arestrup, Peter Mullan
Disney

THE best news about War Horse is that it’s not the only film directed by Steven Spielberg that’s hitting Aussie cinemas on Boxing Day. The bad news, in case you couldn’t tell from that opening sentence, is that War Horse is, for the most part, a galloping mess from start to finish.

War Horse tells the tale of simple teenage boy Albert (Irvine) and the bond he forms with the spirited stallion, Joey. Against dissenting human odds, Joey proves himself to be a versatile steed in the first act of the film, much to the delight of Albert, his family and the sleepy townsfolk.

But when World War I kicks off, Albert’s dad Ted (Mullan) sells the horse to Captain Nicholls (Hiddleston) to save the family farm, and Joey is sent off to war. Albert promises that he will find Joey in the muddy fields of European war and bring him home safely.

At this point, the narrative takes a daring leap that would have been impressive had Spielberg managed to pull it off. Albert disappears from the story for a significant period of time as Joey becomes the simultaneous main character and plot device that moves the storyline between different characters.

But Joey should have never become the main character, for the simple reason that it’s difficult to get a horse to emote beyond happy tail flicking and stubborn snorts. Leaving Albert behind also means that the audience forgets about him and attempts to form connections with the range of new characters that start to grace the screen as faithful steed Joey carries the narrative torch forward.

With so little time spent with these new characters, though, it’s difficult to form any sort of meaningful attachment to them before the story trots along. While the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston and Niels Arestrup work hard to leave their stamp with limited screen time, their solid performances pale in comparison to the thematic mishmash that happens throughout.

One moment you’re supposed to be enjoying the quaint charm of an English village, the next caught up in the horrors of war, followed by awkward attempts at levity and even some genuinely disturbing imagery.

This wouldn’t normally necessarily be a problem for a maestro such as Spielberg, but the combination of too many elements—characters, minor plots and themes—result in a disjointed structure that struggles to hit a decent stride. It may be beautifully shot, but this is shallow compensation for what could have been a sprawling war story.

War Horse certainly isn’t the worst film of 2011, but it is one of the most disappointing, considering the assembled talent. Even being thoroughly unimpressed by the trailer and going into the film with low expectations did little to lift this horse’s tale. If you’re looking to invest your family friendly funds on a film this Boxing Day, aim for Spielberg’s other film, the Raiders of the Lost Ark-style romp, The Adventures of Tintin.

War Horse is in cinemas 26 December, 2011.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

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