The story of Delmer Doss (Andrew Garfield), a God fearing Virginia apple knocker who enlists in the Army Ranger corp as a medic while refusing to carry a weapon and went on to become the first conscientious objector to win the Medal of Honor for his actions on the incendiary, blood strewn battle fields of Okinawa. Hackneyed to the point of old fashioned "Aww, shucks" mawkishness and upended by unrelenting, almost celebratory combat violence, Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge plays like a demented Sergeant York with Andrew Garfield's overly aloof performance failing to carry the picture. Hugo Weaving is quizzically miscast as Garfield's drunken WWI battle haunted father and Vince Vaughn brings welcomed relief as his disapproving drill sergeant.
** out of ****
