Best movie ever!

Absolutely Fantastic

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

An outstanding portrayal of the Messines Ridge battles - a part of the overall series of battles in WWI around Ypres in Belgium. Anyone who knows anything about WWI will recognize the incredible fighting and human misery surrounding the 3 major Ypres battles. For a great depiction of these battles - read A Storm in Flanders - by Winston Groom -one of the best histories of the Great War.The movie works on all levels - some of the other reviews state that Aussies should see this - I disagree - everyone who is interested in how the free world defended against German aggression need to see this. I am a WWI junkie, but I believe this movie will appeal to a very wide audience.A few of the good points: Realism - this movie focuses on many small details which give it great credibility: clipping canaries nails; covering your coffee cup when there is an explosion (to keep dirt from falling in); continual rain and mud (can you say Passchendaele?) ; unbelievable living conditions; the cat and mouse game being played under ground where both sides were trying to discover the others mines; prejudice against the miners/sappers as not being real soldiers; and the death of the father (you'll see what I mean).This is one of the finest war movies I have seen (and I've seen a lot.) I really hope you will take this one in. Then, the next time you are in London - go to the Imperial War Museum for an in depth look at WWI & II. Cheers DonB

Films about the 'Great War' are few and far between so when one comes along I try my best to see it. This is offering is certainly one of the better in recent times.Although set in the Western Front of Flanders, it follows the fortunes of an Australian unit who are mining under the German lines. The few films of the 'Great War' to feature Australians normally show the Middle Eastern or Turkish theatres but Beneath Hill 60 has them ankle deep in mud and rain.As someone that has an interest in the Western Front, I was impressed the way the front-line was re-created. It was as authentic looking as one could expect considering most of the action took place in the mine shafts beneath the trench systems. Indeed, the dank claustrophobic shafts are captured superbly. As is the constant water and poor lighting. Almost a different world of mute silence which contrasts with the near anarchy of the surface...An Australian reviewer has commented earlier on here about the British and Americans not watching this film. The Americans because they're not featured and the British because they're lampooned. As a Brit I don't feel that there was ANY lampooning by the script - if it WAS intended then it failed. The script itself is well presented and the cast all give very watchable performances.As is the case in these kind of films, there are moments when the tissues have to come out. beneath Hill 60 is no exception. Im pleased that it doesn't dwell too long during the more moving sequences - nor does it use them to win over the audience. Apart from the obvious scenes, there is one part of the film which I found personally moving. in one of the last shots of the film a photograph is taken - one of the Australians is being portrayed as suffering from 'shell-shock' or what we now call PTSD. This is something I recall from own grandfather suffering from before he died when i was a child. Constant shaking and jerking - unable to ever work properly or drive. One of a whole generation of men whose lives were taken away - one way or another.Beneath Hill 60 is not perfect but it IS is a very worthy tribute to those men who lost their lives - on both sides.8/10

Excruciatingly hard watch, edge of your seat at moments, thoroughly realistic, nearly a tear jerker, but not forced. Flash backs are neatly done, introducing the background life of the main character, the fellow soldiers of experience, naiveté and his life before, with a touch of the life after, his grown love and life history. Also neatly suggests the stigma of not going to war and also introduces the necessary madness of the old Guard officer class and attitude at the time. Don't let the dry earth, should be wet earth spoiler influence you, watch this film. My opinion, only the title let it down, the World audience probably thought it was a cheap horror-flick. I am proud that ex-Colonials are at least making the effort to educate the world that World War One actually happened and it wasn't a video or x box game invented by Japanese tech guys.......... would recommend this film to all. "Lest we Forget".

I have to disagree with the comments comparing this movie with 'Hurt Locker' which is a superior movie in nearly every day and deserves its Oscar credits. This is however an excellent war drama telling a fairly unknown true story of Oliver Woodward during World War One. I for one had never heard of Oliver Woodward until watching this movie. Yes, to some degree, I would compare it to 'My Boy Jack" and even 'Passchendale' and actually 'Tunnel Rats' the Vietnam war drama springs more to mind.There is also a love story thrown in for good measure and overall this is a very sensitive film with an unacceptable but seemingly necessary ending. The acting is superb throughout and the story fascinating in how it was told from beginning until the end.For those who like their dose of war dramas, this is clearly one not to be missed.