World War II has been put to film a number of times in many different countries, but there are not nearly enough World War I films. Steven Spielberg set out to redress the balance giving us War Horse, an adaptation of a children's book and the play of the same name.

Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) is a young man living in Dartmoor in 1914. His father (Peter Mullan) buys a thoroughbred horse when he should have plough because of his rift with his landlord (David Thewlis). Albert is able to break in the horse who he names Joey and he shows to be a very special horse, strong, determined, loyal and intelligence. But when World War I breaks out, Joey is sold to a British office, Captain Nicholls (Tom Hiddleston) and during the course of the conflict the horse see all aspects, from a Calvary horse, in rural civilian life for a French girl suffering Hollywood's disease (i.e. they say she is dying but seems perfectly healthy),as a German work horse and in no man's land.

Spielberg has a good track record making historical films with Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan and Empire of the Sun. War Horse is a solid film rather then being a great film. It is a film that is rich in period detail, showing the brutal nature of World War I, from the effects of chemical warfare and you feel the muddy, dirty environment as horses pull a giant artillery battery up a hill and Spielberg knows how to make a mundane scene of a horse ploughing a field exciting and emotional (it must be the most boring village in the world for watching a horse ploughing to be considered entertainment). But at the same time there are also some problems, particularly Spielberg's reliance on cutesy humour, from a goose who chases people to a scene in the trenches. I would not be surprise if Richard Curtis was partially responsible. The film is too long and many scenes could have been shorten or cut, particularly in the beginning. I think the relationship and love between Albert and Joey could have easily have been done in half the time.

It was a great idea of using a horse to show the horrors of war and the different perspectives of war. It is a great opportunity to show that they are good guys and bad guys on both sides of the war. There is some success in that in the German army privates are show to be decent caring people to the horse, but the officer core and sergeants were very harsh and cruel. Compare it to the British officers who are noble, if a little arrogant or cocky, but there are hints in one of the officers that behind his eagerness that in reality he was scared of the prospect of going to war for the first time. I would have wanted to see more of a mixed picture within all sides of the war and try to give more depth to the characters.

There is a great cast in War Horse, we have emerging talent like Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch who in their small roles show they are going to be big actors (well more so),new talent like Irvine who was excellent, playing his character like Sam and Frodo from Lord of the Rings and Celine Buckens where the humour works best. Emily Watson was also brilliant as Albert's mother and it great to see in a big film. And of course Joey the horse shows a lot of promise as an animal performer.

John Williams also supplies Mr. Spielberg with another great score, fitting for the film and Janusz Kaminski continues with great camera work, from the bright work of Devon in the summer to more grey and dull view of the front line of the war.

War Horse is a solid piece of filmmaking. It is typical Oscar bait but it still works as a film and Spielberg is able to make us care for Joey.

7.5/10.

I assume that there are two main groups of people--those who adore horses and think they are beautiful creatures as well as those, like me, who see them as a means of transportation or food (in a crunch--when beef isn't available). So, some see the film as magical--while others see it was incredibly empty. Unlike the Oscar folks (who have nominated it for Best Picture),I found the picture to be very episodic and I didn't particularly care for the characters--and some of this might be because I don't absolutely love horses (though I really have nothing against them).

The film begins with the birth of a horse. A teen in a nearby farm has some sort of magical connection with the animal--which is darn fortuitous since his tenant farmer father ends up buying the beast. The horse and teen fall in love (no, not in the "Equus" way) but sadly the family is eventually forced to sell the horse because they simply cannot afford it. The horse is then bought by the military and is sent into WWI--where lots of death and carnage result in the horse bouncing from one owner to another until, as if by magic, it's reunited with the teen who loved him. Who really cares that 11,000,000 people were killed in the war--what really matters is a boy and his horsey.

While this sounds like I hated the movie, I didn't. I liked the music, camera-work and way they recreated WWI--it was quite realistic. But with an Oscar nomination for the top honor, I found myself expecting so much more. The film's biggest deficit is that none of the characters were particularly likable or fully fleshed out--seeming awfully one-dimensional. Yes, it looked nice but I DON'T adore horses and thought the film was rather ponderous and episodic. Call me a horse-hater (I am really not) if you like--I just didn't connect with the film at all.

Having seen War Horse just today with my family, I was just blown away at how wonderful the movie was. Steven Spielberg has been responsible for some of my childhood favourites such as ET, Jurassic Park, Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark, as well as Schindler's List and one of the compellingly real beginnings of all time in Saving Private Ryan. To me, he is a very talented director. War Horse may not be my favourite of his films, but it is one of his better ones in my opinions in recent years. The cinematography and scenery are truly gorgeous, and John Williams' music score(my favourite score of 2011) brings meaning to the terms beauty, epic and grandiose.

I also loved the story. It was well-paced, especially at the start and compelling, yet also with Spielberg's unique magic touch. The spectacle itself is stirring especially the charge in No-Man's Land, which felt so real and intense without feeling too graphic. There is also a lot of poignancy. Joey's bolt through barbed wire consequently bringing two warring sides together stands out especially, but what really got me were the final scenes shot against a burning sunset, one of the most visually beautiful and emotionally poignant endings in recent memory to me.

Spielberg does an outstanding job directing, the war scenes are authentic and harrowing without feeling too much so(they even include the consequences of desertion) and the poignant moments are so without being too mawkish. There's even a touch of humour particularly with the goose. As I said before though, War Horse still has the magic touch that makes the best of his movies so good. The script is genuinely heartfelt and effective, and the characters especially Albert, his parents, the grandfather and especially Joey are written in a way that makes you empathise with them. The script and characters in the war scenes manage not to be too clichéd, too one-sided or stereotypical as well.

Acting is very good. Joey of course steals the show, he looks incredible and you identify with him every step of the way, and Jeremy Irvine is very convincing and passionate in his performance as Albert. Peter Mullan, Emily Watson and Niels Arestrup give affecting turns, and David Thewlis, Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch are also solid. Overall, an exceptional film, one of my favourites of the year that's for sure. 10/10 Bethany Cox