He actually might have saved a lot more people, potentially 170-200 but only 75 were accounted for. and they actually took parts of the real story out because it would make the movie too long and seem fake. In real life, he was blown by a granade and as he was being taken out on strecher, he got up and keep going back.
mel took out several things that he thought that people wouldn't believe to keep the movie more believable. he felt that telling the story was more important than making a hero out of a hero.
The Army actually credited Doss with saving at least 150 people but Doss downplayed it and said it wasn’t more than 50. They settled on 75. They accounted for double that but Doss was a very humble man.
Yes, that moment when he got off the first stretcher he actually gave it to another wounded man, and since he felt he could go on, he went back to look for more wounded men.
The real story is WAY crazier he saved over 150 people but wouldn't take credit for it, he was wounded like 19 freaking times, it's UNREAL that he did all that most of the time while starving since he wouldn't eat the meat based rations... Insane hero, EVERYONE should know who he was.
Grew up near Desmond doss' house on lookout mountain. Nicest guy ever. Loved when a group of kids would come over and fish in his pond. His wife, Francis (he remarried after Dorothy passed) would make lunch for the kids. Truly kind man.
@@splitmango8629 yeah. About a mile away. Used to ride my bike over there on Sundays (never on Saturday/sabbath). You could fish but had to throw them back unless he said you could keep it. His wife would make you a grilled cheese.. one time my class (like 5th grade) read the book. The teacher would read to us for 15 minutes or so after lunch. After we finished the book, my mom asked if the class could visit and meet him. We were only supposed to stay for an hour or so but he loved having 20-25 kids there. So he entertained us all day. We actually got in trouble for getting back to the school too close to dismissal but when someone who won the medal of honor says "I wanted them to stay" Nobody really said much to us about being late!. I have pictures of me and him at his pond... wish there was a way to post them here.
@@splitmango8629 oh and for what it's worth, Andrew Garfield got a few of his mannerisms exactly right. A couple times during the movie, I was like wow. That's my neighbor.
Hugo Weaving is a chameleon. He's so good in everything he does. You aren't alone in crying. Just knowing this is a true story, gives it an extra level of gravity.
In some significant ways, this excellent true story of Desmond Doss was toned down to make it more believable. However, there are some things that were changed that you might want to know about. Doss and his unit had actually taken part in two previous Pacific island invasions before they got to Okinawa, and Doss had actually been decorated with the Bronze Star for Valor twice in the second battle, so Desmond was already a well respected member of the unit before Hacksaw Ridge. You can understand why they decided to compress the story entirely to the Okinawa campaign to keep the story easier to understand. Some of the other changes they made are also understandable, such as they amped up the drama of the trial a lot, and the situation where he leaves his wife at the altar while he sits in a cell is not quite the way that happened. The website History vs Hollywood article on this movie is pretty good, and covers most the of the stuff that they changed or were mistaken about. I strongly recommend checking out History vs Hollywood for after you watch movies based on real history. They are usually the best place to get solid information about historical inaccuracies in a very easy to understand format, when they have an article posted about the film in question.👍
Plus the movie was called Hacksaw Ridge. It'd be a little weird for the thing the movie is named for to have to share space with a bunch of stuff that isn't really related (I mean it is but you get what I mean).
I have no idea exactly how accurate all of this is but I heard they actually toned DOWN his story in this movie because the actual events were deemed "not believable enough" for audiences.
The court martial didn't happen at all, and he didn't get married until he came back from the war, but nost if is supposed to be a good representation.
@@Stevarooni Yeah but his feats in combat were toned down. The same happened in Band of Brothers, for the same reason. Some truly superhuman stuff can happen in combat I suppose.
Yes there were a few instances. Because Mel thought the audience wouldn't believe him. One was that a Japanese sniper had Doss in his sights on numerous occasions but every time he took the shot his gun would jam. The other was that when Doss was blown up with a grenade and was being taken out on a stretcher he saw another man more wounded than him so he threw himself off the stretcher, put the other man on it then crawled back to friendly lines 300 or so meters away under fire.
Common misconception about the Medal Of Honor, Natalie: Most people who do receive it did die, the Medal Of Honor is awarded posthumously for the majority of recipients. Doss surviving and getting one, on top of not carrying a single gun, makes it even more impressive.
Very true there, plus: the "Medal of Honor" is awarded to those who have died. To living recepients, I read somewhere, it the "Congressional Medal of Honor": it is approved by vote of the US Congress, in both cases.
@@Colin-to1nv i dont know where you read that, but it is incorrect. 1. The "Congressional" Medal of Honor is a bit of a misnomer. It is the same medal. There is only 1 Medal of Honor. 2. Many many recipients have received theirs while still living. Two recipients received 2, before the rules were changed. MSgt Dan Daly was nominated for 4, but Congress cut him off at 2. The medal is not some posthumous award, it is awarded for exceptional bravery and service. But, like the Purple Heart, such bravery tends to be paid for by the ultimate sacrifice. (But even SSgt Reckless, a horse, received 2 Purple Hearts while still alive and healthy.)
This movie inspired my best friend to become a combat medic, watching her graduate from basic was so beautiful and I’m still so proud of her. She’s been a medic for 6 years now and met her husband during their training. I did her makeup on their wedding day and officiated for them, it was such a beautiful day that I will remember forever.
You don't have to kill or even throw a punch to be a badass. If you believe in something you stay the course. Even when the world thinks you are weak you show them by being true to yourself. This movie just resonates with me so much.
If you haven't seen it, I recommend The Pacific. It is also masterfully done, and so brutal I had to take breaks while watching. It's also very well-written, and based on the memoirs of actual soldiers.
The Pacific is vastly superior to this movie’s depiction. Hacksaw doesn’t shy from violence, but there’s a reason why scenes from the Pacific and Band of Brothers are actually used as teaching tools for real military. I can’t take Hacksaw seriously when Japanese under cover are impossible to hit while Americans take headshots like a John Wick movie. It’s too Hollywood in its depiction and doesn’t feel like it’s grounded in realism the way better movies are
I absolutely adore this film. The explosive war scenes are powerful but the quiet moments hit just as hard. "I learned how to hate quick. Learned how to judge people quicker, and I got you very wrong." is one of my favorite moments.
He's an a ample of God working through humans. To attribute his feats to anything less than God's influence in his life means ignoring Doss's wishes and making a mockery of them.
Desmond Doss is one of the most incredible stories I've ever had the pleasure of researching. That man was truly, truly incredible. I'm not a religious man, but reading his story made me reconsider my beliefs because the things that he did were so unbelievable that the only explanation is a higher power.
Doss & Ryker's unlikely friendship really hits home for me. When I served time in the Army, you come across people (Like Ryker) who at first, seem selfish and coldhearted towards others. But as you face the bad and the ugly together, you learn to put aside your differences and create a special bond with them that you'd never forget. You become enemies to brothers, laughing and lifting each other up through it all. And in the end, that shock you go into when losing them is unlike anything else. I love this movie for many reasons, but this plot point of the movie has to be one of my favorites
@@jesterscupcake that’s fair lol I’m not saying I’d trust every vet/service member, but one of my closest friendships I had while serving started out with us hating each other
Garfield deservedly gets his flowers for his performance in this movie, but Hugo Weaving is a freakin’ powerhouse! Coupled with great turns by Vaughan and Worthington this really is one of the best acted war films of recent times (though honestly, it’s a bar getting raised a lot lately as more and more seem to be character pieces that showcase the horrors of war rather than simple action flicks).
Yeah, Garfield is great in this, but it's one of the things that made me realize what a great actor Vince Vaughn is. And Hugo Weaving destroys every role he plays. I also loved him in Oranges and Sunshine, playing an equally tortured soul.
His story was one of the main reasons I joined the Army. My service wasn't anywhere close to his, even though I ended up disabled for life at 18. I did save multiple lives afterwards just from the first aid training I learned. I'm glad they made a movie about Desmond Doss, I just wish they had more of his amazing saves, even though nobody would believe the feats the man did. I swear his story is why every super hero in Mavel Comics has an alliterative name. He was a super hero.
I heard about Desmond Doss as a kid since I was raised a Seventh-Day Adventist (like him). Also a vegetarian who joined the Army. There was some light hazing and making fun of me for being vegetarian, but once I proved myself the guys really looked out for me.
Also raise seventh-day Adventist and heard about his story in Pathfinders. He was an inspiration to all of us. We all wanted to be trained as medics because of Desmond Doss. I am in the medical field because of him.
@@PROVOCATEURSK WhAT ARE YOU talking about? The Sabbath is technically Saturday, you dont have to be some weird name like "Seventh Day Adventist" to know that. Learn some history, idiot.
Mel Gibson has said in interviews that they actually had to tone DOWN what Doss actually did in real life for the movie cause the audiences wouldn't have believed it.
I served in the Afghanistan War. Many folks call it the modern day Vietnam but I disagree in many ways. I couldn’t fathom the things you went through although my experiences was difficult. I hate that she blurred out the gruesome scenes. They need to be seen, Hollywood could never truly capture the reality of death in war. In real life it’s quicker and far less glamorous. Loved her take on the movie though!
This is one of those stories that I think should be included in every WWII history class, it's such an inspiring story! This movie is on my list that I practically require all my friends and family to watch, because of how good the movie itself is and how important it is for stories like this to be shared. I had a history professor in college who on day 1 told us that we would be learning every grizzly and uncomfortable detail and not gloss over anything, saying "it's important and necessary that we learn and remember what happened, because it did actually happen to those human beings, and we owe it to them to not forget what they went though."
I agree with your history teacher! We need to learn not just silly stories about chopping down cherry trees. History was filled with real people, and real people are messy, complicated, contradictory, and make mistakes. And there's a lot of horror and evil in history as well. We cannot shy away from it. Patriotism is fine, but history doesn't exist to give us warm fuzzies about our country. It's there to teach us and help us learn. It's there to help us understand each other better, and find out how we got here. But if we omit the worst parts we do ourselves a massive disservice. History isn't always going to be comfortable, the more personally invested we are, the more it may hurt. We must confront it with the aim of learning from it to not make the same mistakes. I heard the story of one of my own ancestors, and when I looked him up I learned he was, at least at one time, a slave owner. My heart sank when I read the history that had been written about him by one of his descendants. Up till that point in time I wasn't aware of any slave owners in my own family tree. But it made me curious to know who those people were, and what happened to them. Who were their descendants, and where are they in this world today? Real history isn't clean, or sanitized. If you think it is you're probably reading a fiction.
Nah, they wouldn't teach anything about Doss in school because it would show how Christians aren't actually evil like they want you to believe we are. It would also make people wonder if God is real, considering it's less likely that Doss's story is true if God *isn't* real than if He is.
He’s buried just couple miles from me. I drive by and also have family buried there. Anytime I go visit my grandparents I always take a couple of coins with me to put on his tomb stone.
Desmond did a lot of crazy things in the war, and not even half are stated in this movie because a lot of them were so impossible to believe that they thought that people watching the movie wouldn't believe, saving a Japanese soldier, the 75 wounded soldiers, he kicking a grenade, was just the light things that he did in there.
Medal of honor recipients is a small group of people, but every one of their stories is worth knowing. They are the best of us all, in situations and circumstances that no one should ever have to be in, but they show everything humanity can be in those moments.
Was hoping you would react to the court room scene a bit more. Missed the line where Desmond says "while everybody else taking life, I'm going to be saving it. With the world so set on tearing itself apart, it doesn't seem like such a bad thing to me to wanna put a little bit of it back together."
A dad got really sad? Desmond's father William Thomas Doss was a WW1 survivor. He fought and received awards for his bravery in one of the bloodiest battles of WW1. The Battle of Belleau Wood was fought from 1 to 26 June 1918 during the German Spring Offensive on the Western Front of World War I. Belleau Wood was the first major battle during the war, and the US Marine Corps's bravery and ferocity at Belleau Wood earned them the nickname "Devil Dogs" from their German opponents. In the 26 day long battle. Hand to hand combat was almost a daily experience for these soldiers. By the end of the battle over 9,000 American soldiers were either severely wounded or dead. William Doss suffered greatly from PTSD and most likely survivor's guilt. In a society that simply said get over it. With no understanding of the deep mental scares me like him carried. As for Desmond's faith. He was seventh day Adventist. Which prohibited him from eating meat. Desmond was in a constant state of near starvation during his time in the sevice . The Army's primary calories were meat and fat. Doss ate riots,fruits and plants he could forage as well as the little that was supplied by the Army. Doss was on three beach landings. The men of his company knew of his level of commitment and bravery very well by the time of the battle of Okinawa.
Im a 7th day adventist just like Desmond was and I gotta say. That man is a huge fkn inspiration for us and all of us got SO HYPED when this movie was announced.
So glad you enjoyed this film on an amazing man, a hero of that Greatest Generation. Since you mentioned great war movies, have another true story; "Unbroken"...another film on a WWII veteran, Louis Zamporini, who was an Army Air Corp crewman. Very much enjoy your commentary Natalie, you seem to be a very down to earth & have a good heart.
Zamporini went to my high school, and it felt like my whole home town went out to see the movie when it came out. I have a feeling a shockingly decent percentage of the box office came from Torrance, CA.
This man is why we call them The Greatest Generation. Desmonds real story is so outrageous they toned it down for the movie. because they thought we wouldn't believe what he really did. I believe he actually earned TWO medals of honor, and had already been nominated for one before they even got to Hacksaw ridge.
@@josephwallace202 They got called the Greatest Generation because when people were in need, in their neighborhood or half a world away, they weren't afraid to help. They didn't put themselves ahead of everyone else.
@@danieldickson8591 Hollywood mythmaking. These honorifics were the immaterial pat on the back offered in lieu of more material, substantial concessions for their sacrifice. To their eternal shame, this is the bauble they settled for.
All of these exploits featured in this film are true. The movie director even went so far as to omit much of Desmond Doss' accomplishments in fear that the movie would be unbelievable. Desmond Doss is the only American soldier to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor as a conscientious objector.
This film was played down to make the story more believable 😮 he actually got off a stretcher while wounded to make room for other soldiers to get treated. He also helped save people while wounded, used a rifle stock as a makeshift splint, and continued to treat the wounded. Check out his life story... Out of this world 😲
A great friend of my family was a veteran of WWII and fought on eight different islands throughout the war including Okinawa. He was in his 70’s before he ever spoke to anyone about it. His wife didn’t even know what he’d gone through except that he was a marine. He was immensely proud to have served and absolutely loved the marines but just couldn’t talk about what had happened. He knew his serial number and rifle number right up until he passed. From the research we’ve done he fought with the company G of the 22nd marine regiment of the 6th marine division and fought at sugar loaf hill, one of the worst places of Okinawa. Company G lost 85% of its men. Approximately 1500 marines and 23,000 Japanese would die in a patch little more than the size of a football field. I don’t know what Platoon he was in but he said he was the only survivor. Approximately 10,000 Americans died at Okinawa and more than 150,000 Japanese died. While movies like this give a glimpse into the horror they went through it will never live up to reality. All we can do is remember what has happened to ensure it never happens again.
World War II is RIFE with these incredible stories. I was just learning about Edmund Roman Orlik, a Polish tank commander who almost single-handedly took out three German Panzers in a single engagement with a tank that was smaller than most modern cars. There's also the crazier stories like Fighting Jack Churchill. And honestly the most cinematic story, imo, was the Battle of Castle Itter. The real actual account reads like the script to some cheesy 1960's WWII action flick; American soldiers team up with German soldiers, and a group of French dignitaries and socialites to defend a castle against an SS assault, it's fucking bonkers.
The regular German army send a tennis player, running fast to bring some Us reinforcements, defending against SS unit, which had an order to kill all the high ranking prisoners. One of the best is also a German pilot sparing the totally wrecked US bomber and led him over German lines low, so the AA fire was not coming and left it in the middle of the Channel. Both pilots have reunited and there is a picture of two old men fishing in the pond. Can find the story on the YT.
Have you ever considered watching Band of Brothers? It's a TV mini-series based on true events during the European war from Normandy to the Allied victory in Europe. Excellent series.
The jumpscare scene was so well done, it truly gave you the feeling of what silence and PTSD of the battlefield really was like. Andrew did a phenomenal job, the movie was gorgeous and the history behind it was beautiful.
I watched this movie and then the movie Cherry (also a war movie but with Tom Holland as the main character) not even two months apart, and the difference between those movies are so crazy. Cherry (which I watched first) had me feeling just so empty and depressed and genuinely so sad for days after I finished it. The character that Tom Holland plays and his mindset about the war along with how he deals with it is completely different from this and it’s so heartbreaking. And then in this movie, Andrew Garfield plays a character that goes through a war and has something to believe in. His faith is so strong and even after everything he’s been through, he’s still such an encouragement and role model to the others. I finished the movie with this sense of a hopefulness, despite how dark the movie ended up being.
This is a BEAUTIFUL reaction, thank you for pouring your real emotion and feeling into such an amazing work of cinema. DON'T STOP! As an active duty army soldier, I believe it is EXTREMELY important for humankind to read, see, and learn all about our past wars so that Humankind will know of its horror, and complete dismissal of life. Thank you for helping spread awareness to that message.
I’ve seen this movie roughly 6 or 7 times. No matter how many times I see it, the emotions are pulled out of me as early as young Desmond fighting with his brother. One spot where I cry quite a bit is when Dorothy comes to his cell before the hearing. She’s trying to convince to him to use a gun just to get qualified. His response is heartbreakingly romantic, saying that breaking his moral code would not only affect his image in God’s eyes but also in hers. I applaud that line each time, because it’s a point of conviction that people nowadays simply don’t have as often as they should.
The thing about religion is that even though the gods are fake, the devotion is real. A human can't surpass their limits without true devotion in something outside of themselves. That something can be family, friends, the world at large, one's country, or an imaginary god that they truly believe in. If they think it's real, it's good enough lol.
when i saw this movie in theater it was other worldly experience... "Please god help me get one more!" this statement kept coming to me in dreams for weeks
I sobbed the entire time the war scenes were happening. Just thinking of all the men on both sides whos family lost them and, never had their body returned.
One way to know just how impressive Doss truly was, Andrew Garfield obviously had to carry people around on his shoulders for the scenes. Garfield is significantly larger than Doss, and a part of the actual story that was cut from the film was that the military didn't particularly give a damn if you were vegetarian or not, so Doss was fairly malnourished at that point in the war, as he only got partial meals due to abstaining from eating the meat portions. When talking about how difficult it was to move men around like that, Garfield said he was exhausted after 3 or 4 in a row, and he would have been well-fed and in excellent physical condition throughout the film. Desmond Doss's story is one of the few stories that make me genuinely think that "a miracle" was involved, and I've been an atheist my entire adult life.
I'm not a huge fan of war movies either but I watched this one when it came out on digital with my dad and although I was still pretty horrified I was also really surprised. This and 1917 (which you should also check out sometime heehee) are 2 that I would never slander
1917 was a great film! It was very immersive and haunting. I kept thinking about it for a whole week after watching. Seriously a phenomenal movie! And the cameos were unexpected, but great, and kind of perfect too. The long take shots (stitched together seamlessly to make the whole thing a big one take) are incredible too.
I feel this film can appeal to a lot of people who don't like war films because of who Doss was. He didn't want to kill anyone in a war that killed 60+ million people. His story is fascinating.
There is one thing the movie got wrong the men under Desmond's care already knew he wasn't a coward as he had already been awarded two Bronze star with "V" device for valor under fire months before Hacksaw. He also did a lot of stuff not shown in the movie but listed in his MoH citation. Desmond Doss Medal of Honor citation "He was a company aidman when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high. As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back. Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying them one by one to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands. On 2 May, he exposed himself to heavy riflejpp and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and two days later he treated four men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within eight yards of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making four separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety. On 5 May, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small-arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small-arms fire, and, while artillery and mortar shells fell close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from a cave, Pfc. Doss crawled to him where he had fallen 25 feet from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire. On 21 May, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. Rather than call another aidman from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited five hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Pfc. Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers' return, he was again struck, this time suffering a compound fracture of one arm. With magnificent fortitude he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards over rough terrain to the aid station. Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.” Look up "Desmond Doss This is Your Life" here on YT to meet Desmond his family and some of the men her saved. Above all you get to see how truly humble he was. He didn't have plot armor this was a true story. I'm not religious but even I can see he was wearing the armor of God. 23:38
I was stationed on Okinawa about a decade+ ago. The ridge isn’t quite as tall as they make it in the movie, but one thing to consider that they didnt replicate while filming on the sandstone rocks in Australia is that Okinawa is primarily a volcanic land mass, and this creates sharp jagged rock outcroppings all over. Probably especially after eons of weathering are blown away by artillery… Just tripping and falling could potentially kill you, or give you a serious cut or puncture to consider!
Thank you for reacting to this one Nat. Such a powerful story. Now that you’ve done this one and Saving Private Ryan, I believe, some point in the future, you’d like the HBO miniseries Band Of Brothers, as well as its sequel, The Pacific. Both based on true events. Please, thanks, and enjoy.
One of the things they cut from the movie is that Doss saw someone else in need of his stretcher. He stopped them and waited while they loaded up another soldier and came back for him. His Wiki page is insane, and definitely worth a read.
I am so happy so many people know about Mr. Doss's heroic actions and wonderful character. His life story should be taught in highschools all around the world. Just like so many other great men and women. Universal history should be a mandatory subject everywhere.
Not only WWII, but one of *the* most violent and brutal campaigns of the war. The Battle for Okinawa was one of the things that convinced the PTB that dropping The Bômb/s on Japan would be the better option that invading the mainland.
The cruelest thing in the universe is time, not because it takes your life, but because the actions and impact you had in that life will eventually be forgotten. Remembering someone for what they did long after they are gone, is the greatest thing we can do for one and other as human beings.
Yes he actually did this, AND MORE! They actually had to leave a lot of his feats out of this movie because they didnt think audiences would believe it
They called him a coward, but willingly going into battle without a weapon in order to save lives is I think the bravest thing any man can accomplish. We're so used to war movies of valiant men fighting for what they believe in. Desmond Doss did fight for what he believed, but he used compassion instead of violence. That's why I love this movie so much.
I first saw this movie in theaters and I nearly fainted when he hit his brother with the brick, but luckily my dad was there to make sure I was okay because he knows I tend to have a weak stomach. The story broke my heart because of how powerful it was portrayed and just the fact it was a real story, despite some of the Hollywood dramatizations. Will definitely make someone cry. One of Mel & Garfield's best works
Natalie, I'm glad you got to know this story. I hope you get to read or otherwise discover how much more there is, that never made it into the movie, and how little was added "just to make it interesting". I really enjoyed watching your reactions.
Another great Andrew Garlfield movie is Tick Tick Boom, based on the autobiography musical of Jonathan Larson (the one who made rent) it’s really good! Andrew Garlfield is just great at biographies I think.
My dad was a marine on Okinawa during WW2 and I wish he had lived long enough to hear his thoughts about the combat scenes in this movie. He was rather quiet about his service during the war but I think I could have had a conversation with him. On a different topic, this has been my favorite Vince Vaughn movie. Vince showed he can be a real actor playing drama and not just a whiny egocentric jerk like most of his earlier stuff. Natalie, this is my first video with you and you are adorable. I will be back to see more.
Suggestion: Band Of Brothers. Great series with 1 season and 10 episodes. Highly recommend. Ps: it’s about Easy Company which was part of the 101st Airborne Division in WW2 they were pretty much in every great battle in Europe
Desmond Doss is from my home town and its extremely incredible to me. I drive down the stretch of highway dedicated to him every day and I'm reminded daily to appreciate the men who made so many sacrifices for us
I am glad you reacted to this movie. I always get emotional about movies like this, and this one really wrecked me. Watching this knowing the actual story had me weeping on and of through the second half of the movie. I had a shop teacher in Jr. High who was in the Army and fought in several battles in the Pacific. He fought on Okinawa but wasn't in Desmond Doss's unit but he told us the story.
Interestingly the movie actually toned down a lot of his accomplishments. Even the number 75 was a compromise, Doss was very modest and thought he'd saved no more than about 30 men, but his officers were certain it had been more than 100, so they compromised and said 75. They also didn't include a lot of things he did because Mel Gibson thought the audience wouldn't believe it.
Watched this a while ago and it is one of most visceral depictions of war I've even seen. Garfield is incredible and so is Hugo weaving and Vince Vaughan the whole cast is fantastic
Feel like i need to say this also. My grandpa was a medic in the German front and risked his life to save wounded German soldiers as well. He said that he didn't want to at first but a medic he looked up to convinced him it was the right thing to do. He told me that me that he was glad he did and continued to do it afterwards. Rest well grandpa I hope i made you proud.
My one foray in to "Hollywood" I worked as a PA for makeup and props for a war movie (it technically wasn't IN Hollywood, but they shot a war sequence near where I lived and needed crews that didn't mind getting paid garbage so... I'll continue). The seriousness of the situation hit everyone in waves. There'd be moments where we all just needed a few minutes (or hours) to process the gravity of what we were seeing and what people actually went through. FOR THE MOST PART, the extras and main players got in to it and we were making dark humor cracks the whole time, especially with amputees who had a GREAT sense of humor. There was a little bit of icebreaking on that part, but the first time someone missing a leg pretends to get a compound fracture on their balsa wood fake leg to freak out a PA; pure gold.
@Natalie Gold - I have the perfect film for you for Memorial Day ~ "Taking Chance" starring Kevin Bacon. It's only about 90 mins and has no combat action or gore, etc. It is an incredibly moving film...and every veteran and military family person I know that has seen it gives it incredibly high marks! It's superb!
One of my all time favorite war movies simply because Desmond Doss was a true hero. He felt strongly about his convictions of non-violence and being a conscientious objector, but he still felt a need to serve his country and save lives. Truly an inspirational human being who did the impossible simply because he believed it was the right thing to do. The sheer courage and bravery to charge onto the battlefield without a weapon and to save every life. It's awesome inspiring! It's also neat to see someone of a minority faith, Seventh Day Adventist, get representation. And Andrew Garfield is just perfect in this movie! He really sells the character and makes it believable.
This man is how Christians are supposed to be. And seeing the power of Christ working through someone like Doss is hard not to feel, even many years after they're gone. Even for all of the suffering that was happening during that war, God sent Doss to show what it is like when God works through someone that stands firm in him. Truly inspirational...
@@JobamnaJoestar Yes. Protestants are basically any Christians that aren't Catholics; different sects like Lutherans, Anglicans, Baptists, and Evangelicals, all exist within it. Some are related to each other directly, some are independent. Advent Protestants are sort of like proto-Evangelicals; they celebrate and associate the Advent with just the coming of new and future things in general, yet are not so focused on the Book of Revelations as Baptists and (even more so) Evangelicals are; YET, they also follow more of the Old Testament than a lot of other Protestants. The 7th Day Adventists, for example, still use the Hebrew calendar, so their Sabbath is more directly tied to the Shabbat, Saturday as the day of rest, going by sunrise and sunset. Idk if eating meat is included or a personal choice, but there is indeed mention, I think in or referencing Genesis, that only wicked humans ate animals before God said it was okay, so there may be an interpretation that even if it is allowed for survival, people should abstain if that makes for being more pure and good. There was some philosophy or guidance written by someone closer to modern times (like Joseph Smith and the Mormons) that they include and follow, referencing some of these things, but I can't remember the name.
A masterpiece of a needed film and another story that needs to be seen/heard/never forgotten, despite the uncomfortable and difficult realization that the movie put forward... which is, of course, NOTHING like the real horrors that were truly suffered. Just think of all the visceral things (smell, taste, hearing) that this couldn't truly imbue. Me... panicking when I cannot find my keys or my wallet...
My boyfriend (a veteran Marine) decided to put this on after a day of "based on a true story" movies. And then he did that thing that soldiers do and *promptly* fell asleep 5 minutes in. He woke up 2 hours later to me sobbing and me telling him he wasnt allowed to pick movies anymore if he was going to fall asleep and make me suffer them alone. Took me at least 30 minutes to truly come out of the experience this movie was.
He actually might have saved a lot more people, potentially 170-200 but only 75 were accounted for. and they actually took parts of the real story out because it would make the movie too long and seem fake. In real life, he was blown by a granade and as he was being taken out on strecher, he got up and keep going back.
mel took out several things that he thought that people wouldn't believe to keep the movie more believable. he felt that telling the story was more important than making a hero out of a hero.
The Army actually credited Doss with saving at least 150 people but Doss downplayed it and said it wasn’t more than 50. They settled on 75. They accounted for double that but Doss was a very humble man.
Yes, that moment when he got off the first stretcher he actually gave it to another wounded man, and since he felt he could go on, he went back to look for more wounded men.
Another thing is that Japanese snipers had him in their sights but their weapons failed to shoot
@JoeHabana oh did the Japanese soldiers tell you that?
The real story is WAY crazier he saved over 150 people but wouldn't take credit for it, he was wounded like 19 freaking times, it's UNREAL that he did all that most of the time while starving since he wouldn't eat the meat based rations... Insane hero, EVERYONE should know who he was.
@@11BscoutNGmore likely they wouldn’t be able to handle it. Dude was built different.
I read that Desmond insisted he saved 50 that particular night. The army said it was 100. So they compromised and reported 75
@@11BscoutNG hell yeah I know the story I almost don't believe it, he was a fucking Superman
Glad to see somebody mentioned this. Certain people's real lives exceed what fiction can handle. Doss was one of them.
He gave up his stretcher to another wounded soldier after crawling 500 yards.
Grew up near Desmond doss' house on lookout mountain. Nicest guy ever. Loved when a group of kids would come over and fish in his pond. His wife, Francis (he remarried after Dorothy passed) would make lunch for the kids. Truly kind man.
Heaven avoider for 87 years.
Wiat that's crazy that you actually got to live near him
@@splitmango8629 yeah. About a mile away. Used to ride my bike over there on Sundays (never on Saturday/sabbath). You could fish but had to throw them back unless he said you could keep it. His wife would make you a grilled cheese.. one time my class (like 5th grade) read the book. The teacher would read to us for 15 minutes or so after lunch. After we finished the book, my mom asked if the class could visit and meet him. We were only supposed to stay for an hour or so but he loved having 20-25 kids there. So he entertained us all day. We actually got in trouble for getting back to the school too close to dismissal but when someone who won the medal of honor says "I wanted them to stay" Nobody really said much to us about being late!. I have pictures of me and him at his pond... wish there was a way to post them here.
@@splitmango8629 oh and for what it's worth, Andrew Garfield got a few of his mannerisms exactly right. A couple times during the movie, I was like wow. That's my neighbor.
He didn't eat meat but he let kids fish in his pond? Sure, man.
Hugo Weaving is a chameleon. He's so good in everything he does. You aren't alone in crying. Just knowing this is a true story, gives it an extra level of gravity.
Yes. This. I was shook when he did the scene about his friend's uniform. His performance was spectacular.
@@dustinwilson4815 Yes, and the scene at the cemetery. The man can yell up a storm or just make the most minor of facial movements and convey so much.
100% agree. It always takes me a while to notice Hugo Weaving and Gary Oldman in any movies they do. Chameleon masters, both of them.
"Get out of my sight." Fuck, I'm done...
@@Kurahaara86 ruined his uniform entirely
In some significant ways, this excellent true story of Desmond Doss was toned down to make it more believable. However, there are some things that were changed that you might want to know about. Doss and his unit had actually taken part in two previous Pacific island invasions before they got to Okinawa, and Doss had actually been decorated with the Bronze Star for Valor twice in the second battle, so Desmond was already a well respected member of the unit before Hacksaw Ridge. You can understand why they decided to compress the story entirely to the Okinawa campaign to keep the story easier to understand. Some of the other changes they made are also understandable, such as they amped up the drama of the trial a lot, and the situation where he leaves his wife at the altar while he sits in a cell is not quite the way that happened.
The website History vs Hollywood article on this movie is pretty good, and covers most the of the stuff that they changed or were mistaken about. I strongly recommend checking out History vs Hollywood for after you watch movies based on real history. They are usually the best place to get solid information about historical inaccuracies in a very easy to understand format, when they have an article posted about the film in question.👍
The craziest part is that Doss's feats under fire were actually changed to be LESS incredible than they really were.
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Plus the movie was called Hacksaw Ridge. It'd be a little weird for the thing the movie is named for to have to share space with a bunch of stuff that isn't really related (I mean it is but you get what I mean).
That website is amazing. Thanks for sharing :)
I have no idea exactly how accurate all of this is but I heard they actually toned DOWN his story in this movie because the actual events were deemed "not believable enough" for audiences.
The court martial didn't happen at all, and he didn't get married until he came back from the war, but nost if is supposed to be a good representation.
@@Stevarooni Yeah but his feats in combat were toned down. The same happened in Band of Brothers, for the same reason. Some truly superhuman stuff can happen in combat I suppose.
@@pabloc8808 life writes most exceptional stories :) But then again, it sometimes overdoes them as well xD
Miracles rarely seem believable.🙏
Yes there were a few instances. Because Mel thought the audience wouldn't believe him. One was that a Japanese sniper had Doss in his sights on numerous occasions but every time he took the shot his gun would jam. The other was that when Doss was blown up with a grenade and was being taken out on a stretcher he saw another man more wounded than him so he threw himself off the stretcher, put the other man on it then crawled back to friendly lines 300 or so meters away under fire.
Common misconception about the Medal Of Honor, Natalie:
Most people who do receive it did die, the Medal Of Honor is awarded posthumously for the majority of recipients. Doss surviving and getting one, on top of not carrying a single gun, makes it even more impressive.
Very true there, plus: the "Medal of Honor" is awarded to those who have died. To living recepients, I read somewhere, it the "Congressional Medal of Honor": it is approved by vote of the US Congress, in both cases.
@@Colin-to1nv i dont know where you read that, but it is incorrect.
1. The "Congressional" Medal of Honor is a bit of a misnomer. It is the same medal. There is only 1 Medal of Honor.
2. Many many recipients have received theirs while still living. Two recipients received 2, before the rules were changed. MSgt Dan Daly was nominated for 4, but Congress cut him off at 2. The medal is not some posthumous award, it is awarded for exceptional bravery and service. But, like the Purple Heart, such bravery tends to be paid for by the ultimate sacrifice. (But even SSgt Reckless, a horse, received 2 Purple Hearts while still alive and healthy.)
I am a combat veteran ( Vietnam ) You can not possibly know the good you have just done.
Thank you for this and God bless you.
This movie inspired my best friend to become a combat medic, watching her graduate from basic was so beautiful and I’m still so proud of her. She’s been a medic for 6 years now and met her husband during their training. I did her makeup on their wedding day and officiated for them, it was such a beautiful day that I will remember forever.
You don't have to kill or even throw a punch to be a badass. If you believe in something you stay the course. Even when the world thinks you are weak you show them by being true to yourself. This movie just resonates with me so much.
The nightmarish battle scenes on Okinawa are masterfully handled, and include some of the most sickeningly violent sequences I've ever seen
If you haven't seen it, I recommend The Pacific. It is also masterfully done, and so brutal I had to take breaks while watching. It's also very well-written, and based on the memoirs of actual soldiers.
@@pabloc8808 I second that recommendation - The Pacific is a masterpiece.
Agreed. I served in Okinawa at Torii Station, 88-90. We were told how the sea was red with blood. That is a SMALL island.
You forgot about the war movie wind talker. I guy in it got his head chopped off with a samurai sword. That movie has some intense scenes.
The Pacific is vastly superior to this movie’s depiction. Hacksaw doesn’t shy from violence, but there’s a reason why scenes from the Pacific and Band of Brothers are actually used as teaching tools for real military. I can’t take Hacksaw seriously when Japanese under cover are impossible to hit while Americans take headshots like a John Wick movie. It’s too Hollywood in its depiction and doesn’t feel like it’s grounded in realism the way better movies are
I absolutely adore this film. The explosive war scenes are powerful but the quiet moments hit just as hard.
"I learned how to hate quick. Learned how to judge people quicker, and I got you very wrong." is one of my favorite moments.
The movie wasn't hype up, it was actually tone down because Desmond was an example of human will and virtue so rare that its difficult to believe
You mean a brainwashed fanatic.
He's an a ample of God working through humans. To attribute his feats to anything less than God's influence in his life means ignoring Doss's wishes and making a mockery of them.
Desmond Doss is one of the most incredible stories I've ever had the pleasure of researching. That man was truly, truly incredible. I'm not a religious man, but reading his story made me reconsider my beliefs because the things that he did were so unbelievable that the only explanation is a higher power.
This is how we won the wars, there were many like him whose stories were never told.
@@Native_Creationwarsare won by tactics
Tho Desmond is a hero
Doss & Ryker's unlikely friendship really hits home for me. When I served time in the Army, you come across people (Like Ryker) who at first, seem selfish and coldhearted towards others. But as you face the bad and the ugly together, you learn to put aside your differences and create a special bond with them that you'd never forget. You become enemies to brothers, laughing and lifting each other up through it all. And in the end, that shock you go into when losing them is unlike anything else. I love this movie for many reasons, but this plot point of the movie has to be one of my favorites
Lol as a vet, I would never trust another vet to have my best interest in mind.
@@jesterscupcake that’s fair lol I’m not saying I’d trust every vet/service member, but one of my closest friendships I had while serving started out with us hating each other
@Filoe thats cool. Glad to hear it worked out better for you.
The whole cast of this movie is really good, like everyone gives a great performance and is really likable
Garfield deservedly gets his flowers for his performance in this movie, but Hugo Weaving is a freakin’ powerhouse! Coupled with great turns by Vaughan and Worthington this really is one of the best acted war films of recent times (though honestly, it’s a bar getting raised a lot lately as more and more seem to be character pieces that showcase the horrors of war rather than simple action flicks).
Yeah, Garfield is great in this, but it's one of the things that made me realize what a great actor Vince Vaughn is. And Hugo Weaving destroys every role he plays. I also loved him in Oranges and Sunshine, playing an equally tortured soul.
His story was one of the main reasons I joined the Army. My service wasn't anywhere close to his, even though I ended up disabled for life at 18. I did save multiple lives afterwards just from the first aid training I learned.
I'm glad they made a movie about Desmond Doss, I just wish they had more of his amazing saves, even though nobody would believe the feats the man did.
I swear his story is why every super hero in Mavel Comics has an alliterative name. He was a super hero.
It's still mind blowing how this is a real true story. It's also crazy how many joined the army after the movie to be medics.
What´s the point of religious medics? They are keeping people away from heaven, just like our lord Satan.
I heard about Desmond Doss as a kid since I was raised a Seventh-Day Adventist (like him). Also a vegetarian who joined the Army. There was some light hazing and making fun of me for being vegetarian, but once I proved myself the guys really looked out for me.
Also raise seventh-day Adventist and heard about his story in Pathfinders. He was an inspiration to all of us. We all wanted to be trained as medics because of Desmond Doss. I am in the medical field because of him.
So you keep people from heaven just like lord Satan? Blasphemy!
@@PROVOCATEURSK WhAT ARE YOU talking about? The Sabbath is technically Saturday, you dont have to be some weird name like "Seventh Day Adventist" to know that. Learn some history, idiot.
Whooooa? Are you normal
@@PROVOCATEURSKhow?
Mel Gibson has said in interviews that they actually had to tone DOWN what Doss actually did in real life for the movie cause the audiences wouldn't have believed it.
I served in the Afghanistan War. Many folks call it the modern day Vietnam but I disagree in many ways. I couldn’t fathom the things you went through although my experiences was difficult. I hate that she blurred out the gruesome scenes. They need to be seen, Hollywood could never truly capture the reality of death in war. In real life it’s quicker and far less glamorous. Loved her take on the movie though!
This is one of those stories that I think should be included in every WWII history class, it's such an inspiring story! This movie is on my list that I practically require all my friends and family to watch, because of how good the movie itself is and how important it is for stories like this to be shared.
I had a history professor in college who on day 1 told us that we would be learning every grizzly and uncomfortable detail and not gloss over anything, saying "it's important and necessary that we learn and remember what happened, because it did actually happen to those human beings, and we owe it to them to not forget what they went though."
I agree with your history teacher! We need to learn not just silly stories about chopping down cherry trees. History was filled with real people, and real people are messy, complicated, contradictory, and make mistakes. And there's a lot of horror and evil in history as well. We cannot shy away from it.
Patriotism is fine, but history doesn't exist to give us warm fuzzies about our country. It's there to teach us and help us learn. It's there to help us understand each other better, and find out how we got here. But if we omit the worst parts we do ourselves a massive disservice. History isn't always going to be comfortable, the more personally invested we are, the more it may hurt. We must confront it with the aim of learning from it to not make the same mistakes.
I heard the story of one of my own ancestors, and when I looked him up I learned he was, at least at one time, a slave owner. My heart sank when I read the history that had been written about him by one of his descendants. Up till that point in time I wasn't aware of any slave owners in my own family tree. But it made me curious to know who those people were, and what happened to them. Who were their descendants, and where are they in this world today?
Real history isn't clean, or sanitized. If you think it is you're probably reading a fiction.
Nah, they wouldn't teach anything about Doss in school because it would show how Christians aren't actually evil like they want you to believe we are. It would also make people wonder if God is real, considering it's less likely that Doss's story is true if God *isn't* real than if He is.
one of the best war movie you will ever see made even better by the fact it is a true story and the acting is truly beyond great by the entire cast.
He’s buried just couple miles from me. I drive by and also have family buried there. Anytime I go visit my grandparents I always take a couple of coins with me to put on his tomb stone.
Nominated for 6 Oscars including Best Picture, but won for Best Sound Editing and Best Film Editing.
Desmond did a lot of crazy things in the war, and not even half are stated in this movie because a lot of them were so impossible to believe that they thought that people watching the movie wouldn't believe, saving a Japanese soldier, the 75 wounded soldiers, he kicking a grenade, was just the light things that he did in there.
Such an amazing movie, Andrew Garfield is actually an amazing actor 👏 Happy to see you're watching this one 😁
Medal of honor recipients is a small group of people, but every one of their stories is worth knowing. They are the best of us all, in situations and circumstances that no one should ever have to be in, but they show everything humanity can be in those moments.
Was hoping you would react to the court room scene a bit more. Missed the line where Desmond says "while everybody else taking life, I'm going to be saving it. With the world so set on tearing itself apart, it doesn't seem like such a bad thing to me to wanna put a little bit of it back together."
She might have had to edit it out to get around copyright strikes. That is a fairly specific passage and would be caught by bots easily.
I love that bit of dialog! One of the memorable lines from the movie.
A dad got really sad? Desmond's father William Thomas Doss was a WW1 survivor. He fought and received awards for his bravery in one of the bloodiest battles of WW1. The Battle of Belleau Wood was fought from 1 to 26 June 1918 during the German Spring Offensive on the Western Front of World War I. Belleau Wood was the first major battle during the war, and the US Marine Corps's bravery and ferocity at Belleau Wood earned them the nickname "Devil Dogs" from their German opponents.
In the 26 day long battle. Hand to hand combat was almost a daily experience for these soldiers. By the end of the battle over 9,000 American soldiers were either severely wounded or dead. William Doss suffered greatly from PTSD and most likely survivor's guilt. In a society that simply said get over it. With no understanding of the deep mental scares me like him carried.
As for Desmond's faith. He was seventh day Adventist. Which prohibited him from eating meat. Desmond was in a constant state of near starvation during his time in the sevice . The Army's primary calories were meat and fat. Doss ate riots,fruits and plants he could forage as well as the little that was supplied by the Army. Doss was on three beach landings. The men of his company knew of his level of commitment and bravery very well by the time of the battle of Okinawa.
I didnt expect nattie to react to this gem
Im a 7th day adventist just like Desmond was and I gotta say. That man is a huge fkn inspiration for us and all of us got SO HYPED when this movie was announced.
So glad you enjoyed this film on an amazing man, a hero of that Greatest Generation. Since you mentioned great war movies, have another true story; "Unbroken"...another film on a WWII veteran, Louis Zamporini, who was an Army Air Corp crewman. Very much enjoy your commentary Natalie, you seem to be a very down to earth & have a good heart.
Zamporini went to my high school, and it felt like my whole home town went out to see the movie when it came out. I have a feeling a shockingly decent percentage of the box office came from Torrance, CA.
This man is why we call them The Greatest Generation. Desmonds real story is so outrageous they toned it down for the movie. because they thought we wouldn't believe what he really did. I believe he actually earned TWO medals of honor, and had already been nominated for one before they even got to Hacksaw ridge.
They got called the Greatest Generation as a consolation prize, to make them stop striving for control of their workplaces.
@@josephwallace202 They got called the Greatest Generation because when people were in need, in their neighborhood or half a world away, they weren't afraid to help. They didn't put themselves ahead of everyone else.
@@danieldickson8591 Hollywood mythmaking. These honorifics were the immaterial pat on the back offered in lieu of more material, substantial concessions for their sacrifice. To their eternal shame, this is the bauble they settled for.
The other medals were a Bronze Star for saving men at Guam and another Bronze Star at Leyte. Three Purple Hearts. Amazing.
@@josephwallace202 Bizarre. Forgot your meds?
All of these exploits featured in this film are true. The movie director even went so far as to omit much of Desmond Doss' accomplishments in fear that the movie would be unbelievable. Desmond Doss is the only American soldier to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor as a conscientious objector.
He was the first, not only. There have been 3. The other 2 were from the Vietnam War.
@@repeter CPL Thomas W. Bennett and Spec/4 Joseph G. LaPointe. Both were KIA.
@@repeterextreme chads. I wouldn't go in without a weapon. That takes massive ba,l,ls
This film was played down to make the story more believable 😮 he actually got off a stretcher while wounded to make room for other soldiers to get treated. He also helped save people while wounded, used a rifle stock as a makeshift splint, and continued to treat the wounded. Check out his life story... Out of this world 😲
A great friend of my family was a veteran of WWII and fought on eight different islands throughout the war including Okinawa. He was in his 70’s before he ever spoke to anyone about it. His wife didn’t even know what he’d gone through except that he was a marine. He was immensely proud to have served and absolutely loved the marines but just couldn’t talk about what had happened. He knew his serial number and rifle number right up until he passed. From the research we’ve done he fought with the company G of the 22nd marine regiment of the 6th marine division and fought at sugar loaf hill, one of the worst places of Okinawa. Company G lost 85% of its men. Approximately 1500 marines and 23,000 Japanese would die in a patch little more than the size of a football field. I don’t know what Platoon he was in but he said he was the only survivor. Approximately 10,000 Americans died at Okinawa and more than 150,000 Japanese died. While movies like this give a glimpse into the horror they went through it will never live up to reality. All we can do is remember what has happened to ensure it never happens again.
Such a great story about a beautiful man. For him to survive and live a long life with his wife was the icing on the cake.
World War II is RIFE with these incredible stories. I was just learning about Edmund Roman Orlik, a Polish tank commander who almost single-handedly took out three German Panzers in a single engagement with a tank that was smaller than most modern cars. There's also the crazier stories like Fighting Jack Churchill. And honestly the most cinematic story, imo, was the Battle of Castle Itter. The real actual account reads like the script to some cheesy 1960's WWII action flick; American soldiers team up with German soldiers, and a group of French dignitaries and socialites to defend a castle against an SS assault, it's fucking bonkers.
The regular German army send a tennis player, running fast to bring some Us reinforcements, defending against SS unit, which had an order to kill all the high ranking prisoners.
One of the best is also a German pilot sparing the totally wrecked US bomber and led him over German lines low, so the AA fire was not coming and left it in the middle of the Channel. Both pilots have reunited and there is a picture of two old men fishing in the pond. Can find the story on the YT.
Have you ever considered watching Band of Brothers? It's a TV mini-series based on true events during the European war from Normandy to the Allied victory in Europe. Excellent series.
The jumpscare scene was so well done, it truly gave you the feeling of what silence and PTSD of the battlefield really was like. Andrew did a phenomenal job, the movie was gorgeous and the history behind it was beautiful.
I watched this movie and then the movie Cherry (also a war movie but with Tom Holland as the main character) not even two months apart, and the difference between those movies are so crazy.
Cherry (which I watched first) had me feeling just so empty and depressed and genuinely so sad for days after I finished it. The character that Tom Holland plays and his mindset about the war along with how he deals with it is completely different from this and it’s so heartbreaking.
And then in this movie, Andrew Garfield plays a character that goes through a war and has something to believe in. His faith is so strong and even after everything he’s been through, he’s still such an encouragement and role model to the others. I finished the movie with this sense of a hopefulness, despite how dark the movie ended up being.
This is a BEAUTIFUL reaction, thank you for pouring your real emotion and feeling into such an amazing work of cinema. DON'T STOP! As an active duty army soldier, I believe it is EXTREMELY important for humankind to read, see, and learn all about our past wars so that Humankind will know of its horror, and complete dismissal of life. Thank you for helping spread awareness to that message.
Hugo Weaving was great for the role he played. I felt his suffering and pain.
That’s V for ya, the man the myth the legend
I’ve seen this movie roughly 6 or 7 times. No matter how many times I see it, the emotions are pulled out of me as early as young Desmond fighting with his brother. One spot where I cry quite a bit is when Dorothy comes to his cell before the hearing. She’s trying to convince to him to use a gun just to get qualified. His response is heartbreakingly romantic, saying that breaking his moral code would not only affect his image in God’s eyes but also in hers. I applaud that line each time, because it’s a point of conviction that people nowadays simply don’t have as often as they should.
Im an atheist but the strenght that Doss got is just a miracle. one of the bravest, most humble people to ever live. He really is an inspiration.
The thing about religion is that even though the gods are fake, the devotion is real. A human can't surpass their limits without true devotion in something outside of themselves. That something can be family, friends, the world at large, one's country, or an imaginary god that they truly believe in. If they think it's real, it's good enough lol.
@@bbillykexcept it isn't an imaginary god because a god is the only logical explanation for why everything exists in the first place
@@bbillykGod is real
@@bbillyk So ignorant.
@@bbillykeverybody has a god. You may not realize it but in one way or another.
when i saw this movie in theater it was other worldly experience... "Please god help me get one more!" this statement kept coming to me in dreams for weeks
I sobbed the entire time the war scenes were happening. Just thinking of all the men on both sides whos family lost them and, never had their body returned.
One way to know just how impressive Doss truly was, Andrew Garfield obviously had to carry people around on his shoulders for the scenes. Garfield is significantly larger than Doss, and a part of the actual story that was cut from the film was that the military didn't particularly give a damn if you were vegetarian or not, so Doss was fairly malnourished at that point in the war, as he only got partial meals due to abstaining from eating the meat portions. When talking about how difficult it was to move men around like that, Garfield said he was exhausted after 3 or 4 in a row, and he would have been well-fed and in excellent physical condition throughout the film.
Desmond Doss's story is one of the few stories that make me genuinely think that "a miracle" was involved, and I've been an atheist my entire adult life.
I'm not a huge fan of war movies either but I watched this one when it came out on digital with my dad and although I was still pretty horrified I was also really surprised. This and 1917 (which you should also check out sometime heehee) are 2 that I would never slander
1917 was a great film! It was very immersive and haunting. I kept thinking about it for a whole week after watching. Seriously a phenomenal movie! And the cameos were unexpected, but great, and kind of perfect too. The long take shots (stitched together seamlessly to make the whole thing a big one take) are incredible too.
I feel this film can appeal to a lot of people who don't like war films because of who Doss was. He didn't want to kill anyone in a war that killed 60+ million people. His story is fascinating.
Did you see dunkirk?
Born and raised Seventh-Day Adventist! Grew up hearing this story. He was a hero of ours. Alot of people discovered us through him.
There is one thing the movie got wrong the men under Desmond's care already knew he wasn't a coward as he had already been awarded two Bronze star with "V" device for valor under fire months before Hacksaw. He also did a lot of stuff not shown in the movie but listed in his MoH citation.
Desmond Doss Medal of Honor citation
"He was a company aidman when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high. As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back. Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying them one by one to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands.
On 2 May, he exposed himself to heavy riflejpp and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and two days later he treated four men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within eight yards of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making four separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety.
On 5 May, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small-arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small-arms fire, and, while artillery and mortar shells fell close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from a cave, Pfc. Doss crawled to him where he had fallen 25 feet from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire.
On 21 May, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. Rather than call another aidman from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited five hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover.
The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Pfc. Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers' return, he was again struck, this time suffering a compound fracture of one arm. With magnificent fortitude he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards over rough terrain to the aid station.
Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.”
Look up "Desmond Doss This is Your Life" here on YT to meet Desmond his family and some of the men her saved. Above all you get to see how truly humble he was.
He didn't have plot armor this was a true story. I'm not religious but even I can see he was wearing the armor of God. 23:38
I was stationed on Okinawa about a decade+ ago. The ridge isn’t quite as tall as they make it in the movie, but one thing to consider that they didnt replicate while filming on the sandstone rocks in Australia is that Okinawa is primarily a volcanic land mass, and this creates sharp jagged rock outcroppings all over. Probably especially after eons of weathering are blown away by artillery…
Just tripping and falling could potentially kill you, or give you a serious cut or puncture to consider!
Thank you for reacting to this one Nat. Such a powerful story. Now that you’ve done this one and Saving Private Ryan, I believe, some point in the future, you’d like the HBO miniseries Band Of Brothers, as well as its sequel, The Pacific. Both based on true events. Please, thanks, and enjoy.
or "We were Soldiers"
One unique thing about this movie that I really love is the inclusion of Hugo Weaving's character to explore how WW2 affected the veterans of WW1.
One of the things they cut from the movie is that Doss saw someone else in need of his stretcher. He stopped them and waited while they loaded up another soldier and came back for him. His Wiki page is insane, and definitely worth a read.
Which wiki?
9:05 That part just broke me. War and PTSD can break even the strongest of good men.
Andrew Garfield gives such an amazing performance in this movie, and watching this reaction was so emotional. One of your best Nat 💛
but Hugo Weaving was the masterpiece of acting here
I am so happy so many people know about Mr. Doss's heroic actions and wonderful character. His life story should be taught in highschools all around the world. Just like so many other great men and women. Universal history should be a mandatory subject everywhere.
Not only WWII, but one of *the* most violent and brutal campaigns of the war. The Battle for Okinawa was one of the things that convinced the PTB that dropping The Bômb/s on Japan would be the better option that invading the mainland.
I’ll never forget seeing it in the theater. Much love to my Doss family from Virginia
GOOD STUFF NAT! really appreciate ya
The cruelest thing in the universe is time, not because it takes your life, but because the actions and impact you had in that life will eventually be forgotten. Remembering someone for what they did long after they are gone, is the greatest thing we can do for one and other as human beings.
"planting the seeds of emotional investment" is what all filmmakers aspire to.
There is a older movie, about Sgt.York! During the 1st WW! Great Story to 🫡
Yes he actually did this, AND MORE! They actually had to leave a lot of his feats out of this movie because they didnt think audiences would believe it
They called him a coward, but willingly going into battle without a weapon in order to save lives is I think the bravest thing any man can accomplish.
We're so used to war movies of valiant men fighting for what they believe in. Desmond Doss did fight for what he believed, but he used compassion instead of violence. That's why I love this movie so much.
Band of brothers is must watch
I first saw this movie in theaters and I nearly fainted when he hit his brother with the brick, but luckily my dad was there to make sure I was okay because he knows I tend to have a weak stomach. The story broke my heart because of how powerful it was portrayed and just the fact it was a real story, despite some of the Hollywood dramatizations. Will definitely make someone cry. One of Mel & Garfield's best works
The real Desmond really is the definition of, “I DIDN’T HEAR NO BELL”. Absolutely lion hearted
Natalie, I'm glad you got to know this story. I hope you get to read or otherwise discover how much more there is, that never made it into the movie, and how little was added "just to make it interesting". I really enjoyed watching your reactions.
Another great Andrew Garlfield movie is Tick Tick Boom, based on the autobiography musical of Jonathan Larson (the one who made rent) it’s really good! Andrew Garlfield is just great at biographies I think.
My dad was a marine on Okinawa during WW2 and I wish he had lived long enough to hear his thoughts about the combat scenes in this movie. He was rather quiet about his service during the war but I think I could have had a conversation with him. On a different topic, this has been my favorite Vince Vaughn movie. Vince showed he can be a real actor playing drama and not just a whiny egocentric jerk like most of his earlier stuff.
Natalie, this is my first video with you and you are adorable. I will be back to see more.
Suggestion: Band Of Brothers. Great series with 1 season and 10 episodes. Highly recommend.
Ps: it’s about Easy Company which was part of the 101st Airborne Division in WW2 they were pretty much in every great battle in Europe
Desmond Doss is from my home town and its extremely incredible to me. I drive down the stretch of highway dedicated to him every day and I'm reminded daily to appreciate the men who made so many sacrifices for us
I was waiting for you to react to this movie! It was a perfect fit for you! ❤
Hugo's dinner performance is really top tier acting. You can almost in vison what he saw in France during The Great War.
Thank you for pointing out Hugo Weaving's performance. Oscar worthy, I have no doubt.
The intro song…… neverrr gets old!
Such a banger🙌🏼🔥🔥🔥🔥
I am glad you reacted to this movie. I always get emotional about movies like this, and this one really wrecked me. Watching this knowing the actual story had me weeping on and of through the second half of the movie. I had a shop teacher in Jr. High who was in the Army and fought in several battles in the Pacific. He fought on Okinawa but wasn't in Desmond Doss's unit but he told us the story.
Interestingly the movie actually toned down a lot of his accomplishments. Even the number 75 was a compromise, Doss was very modest and thought he'd saved no more than about 30 men, but his officers were certain it had been more than 100, so they compromised and said 75. They also didn't include a lot of things he did because Mel Gibson thought the audience wouldn't believe it.
I've been waiting for you to react to this movie. It's my absolute favorite war movie ever. That man was a legend and is not talked about enough.
We need Band of Brothers and The Pacific on this channel
Watched this a while ago and it is one of most visceral depictions of war I've even seen. Garfield is incredible and so is Hugo weaving and Vince Vaughan the whole cast is fantastic
Such a Phenomenal Movie❤❤❤
Feel like i need to say this also. My grandpa was a medic in the German front and risked his life to save wounded German soldiers as well. He said that he didn't want to at first but a medic he looked up to convinced him it was the right thing to do. He told me that me that he was glad he did and continued to do it afterwards.
Rest well grandpa I hope i made you proud.
Oh yeah, it's done for her😂.
Andrew Garfield doing a really great job on this role btw. One of his best performance.
and still topped by Weaving...
My one foray in to "Hollywood" I worked as a PA for makeup and props for a war movie (it technically wasn't IN Hollywood, but they shot a war sequence near where I lived and needed crews that didn't mind getting paid garbage so... I'll continue). The seriousness of the situation hit everyone in waves. There'd be moments where we all just needed a few minutes (or hours) to process the gravity of what we were seeing and what people actually went through. FOR THE MOST PART, the extras and main players got in to it and we were making dark humor cracks the whole time, especially with amputees who had a GREAT sense of humor. There was a little bit of icebreaking on that part, but the first time someone missing a leg pretends to get a compound fracture on their balsa wood fake leg to freak out a PA; pure gold.
@Natalie Gold - I have the perfect film for you for Memorial Day ~ "Taking Chance" starring Kevin Bacon. It's only about 90 mins and has no combat action or gore, etc.
It is an incredibly moving film...and every veteran and military family person I know that has seen it gives it incredibly high marks!
It's superb!
Help, everyone! We need to convince her to watch Band of Brothers!!!
25:50 medics have an oath to help every injured soldier including the enemy
Oh… oh my. Yeah, this will be rough for her…
Good gosh girl, your laugh is infectious, and your heart is big.
The Desmond Doss complete story should be taught in schools history classes.
One of my all time favorite war movies simply because Desmond Doss was a true hero. He felt strongly about his convictions of non-violence and being a conscientious objector, but he still felt a need to serve his country and save lives. Truly an inspirational human being who did the impossible simply because he believed it was the right thing to do.
The sheer courage and bravery to charge onto the battlefield without a weapon and to save every life. It's awesome inspiring!
It's also neat to see someone of a minority faith, Seventh Day Adventist, get representation. And Andrew Garfield is just perfect in this movie! He really sells the character and makes it believable.
This man is how Christians are supposed to be. And seeing the power of Christ working through someone like Doss is hard not to feel, even many years after they're gone. Even for all of the suffering that was happening during that war, God sent Doss to show what it is like when God works through someone that stands firm in him. Truly inspirational...
*Seventh Day Adventists*
@@zenocirillo8800 *...Advent Protestants are still Christians...*
@@Knight-Bishopis it like a sect/branch of christianity?
@@JobamnaJoestar Yes. Protestants are basically any Christians that aren't Catholics; different sects like Lutherans, Anglicans, Baptists, and Evangelicals, all exist within it. Some are related to each other directly, some are independent. Advent Protestants are sort of like proto-Evangelicals; they celebrate and associate the Advent with just the coming of new and future things in general, yet are not so focused on the Book of Revelations as Baptists and (even more so) Evangelicals are; YET, they also follow more of the Old Testament than a lot of other Protestants. The 7th Day Adventists, for example, still use the Hebrew calendar, so their Sabbath is more directly tied to the Shabbat, Saturday as the day of rest, going by sunrise and sunset. Idk if eating meat is included or a personal choice, but there is indeed mention, I think in or referencing Genesis, that only wicked humans ate animals before God said it was okay, so there may be an interpretation that even if it is allowed for survival, people should abstain if that makes for being more pure and good. There was some philosophy or guidance written by someone closer to modern times (like Joseph Smith and the Mormons) that they include and follow, referencing some of these things, but I can't remember the name.
Plenty of other Christians were killed brutally in the war so i guess god just hated them.
A masterpiece of a needed film and another story that needs to be seen/heard/never forgotten, despite the uncomfortable and difficult realization that the movie put forward... which is, of course, NOTHING like the real horrors that were truly suffered. Just think of all the visceral things (smell, taste, hearing) that this couldn't truly imbue. Me... panicking when I cannot find my keys or my wallet...
Seeing this thumbnail made me happy and sad for Natalie at the same time.
My boyfriend (a veteran Marine) decided to put this on after a day of "based on a true story" movies. And then he did that thing that soldiers do and *promptly* fell asleep 5 minutes in. He woke up 2 hours later to me sobbing and me telling him he wasnt allowed to pick movies anymore if he was going to fall asleep and make me suffer them alone. Took me at least 30 minutes to truly come out of the experience this movie was.
'Everyone in the movie theatre is a couple dating'
Think about the time period. That probably would have been normal then.