---
title: "Hacksaw Ridge"
year: 2016
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/hacksaw-ridge"
fi1m_id: "hacksaw-ridge"
imdb_id: "tt2119532"
tmdb_id: 324786
wikidata_id: "Q21010856"
fi1m_score: 77
critics_score: 75
critics_reviews: 15
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:33.855938+00:00"
region: "IN"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Directed by Mel Gibson · 2h 19m · Drama, History, War

## Identity

Hacksaw Ridge

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/hacksaw-ridge
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** hacksaw-ridge
- **IMDb ID:** tt2119532
- **TMDB ID:** 324786
- **Wikidata ID:** Q21010856
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2119532/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/324786, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21010856

**Fi1m score: 77** · Critics 75 from 15 reviews

*In a sentence:* A pacifist’s war story told with no mercy for anyone eating supper

> Andrew Garfield makes a persuasive conscientious objector in Mel Gibson’s forceful war drama. The combat is skilfully staged and hard to bear, though Gibson’s relish for it complicates the film’s respect for a man who refuses to kill.

## Synopsis

Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield) is a medic and conscientious objector whose religious beliefs forbid him to take a life. He wants to serve without firing a gun, putting his convictions at odds with the demands of military life and the violence of combat. The story follows him towards the Battle of Okinawa, where his duty is to care for the wounded while the fighting continues around him. Mel Gibson directs this drama based on Doss’s life, with Sam Worthington as Captain Glover and Vince Vaughn as Sergeant Howell.

## Review

Mel Gibson’s *Hacksaw Ridge* is a forceful, affecting war film whose fondness for bloodshed sometimes makes its praise of non-violence difficult to accept. Its subject is Desmond T. Doss, the conscientious objector and medic played by Andrew Garfield, and it takes his faith seriously enough to risk looking unfashionably earnest. There is no protective wink, no suggestion that his beliefs are merely an eccentricity to be tolerated. We recommend it to those who can face graphic combat, with reservations about how insistently Gibson directs our response.

Garfield gives the film its strongest reason to stay with Doss. His gentleness feels considered, and there is enough stubbornness in the performance to suggest how exhausting such a man might be to argue with. We believe that this person would hold to his convictions when doing so becomes dangerous; Garfield does not have to advertise toughness to persuade us. The tenderness matters because Gibson surrounds him with so much physical punishment. A more solemn performance could have made Doss hard to care about.

Robert Schenkkan and Andrew Knight’s screenplay is less curious about those convictions than Garfield’s performance makes us want it to be. It establishes the depth of Doss’s belief, then too often treats that depth as sufficient explanation. We wanted more room to consider the difficulties of refusing violence while depending on men prepared to use it. That question is built into the premise, but the straightforward storytelling and religious imagery tend to settle it on our behalf.

The battlefield scenes have a physical clarity that helps explain their impact. Barry Robison’s production design gives the fighting a recognisable space, and John Gilbert’s editing keeps it intelligible through the onslaught. Simon Duggan’s photography makes the bodily damage hard to escape, so the violence seldom becomes an indistinct blur that we can watch comfortably. We were horrified by the blood and torn bodies; Gibson’s sustained attention to the injuries makes it difficult to enjoy the action without registering what it does to people.

Yet Gibson also makes that action exciting, and at times the excitement overwhelms the horror. The violence is staged with such relish that another burst of carnage starts to feel like an attraction the film is pleased to offer. That is our main reservation, and it cannot be dismissed simply by pointing to Doss’s pacifism. During these stretches, the fighting threatens to distract us from the man whose beliefs we are meant to be considering.

Rupert Gregson-Williams’s score adds another layer of encouragement to feel exactly what the film wants. We could have done with less of it around material already so heavily stressed by the writing and direction. Garfield’s performance is persuasive without that assistance, and the music sometimes leaves too little room for us to decide how we feel. Still, the film’s willingness to treat religious faith as a serious part of a person’s life gives the familiar wartime hero story something worth considering.

At 139 minutes, this asks for a substantial stretch of the evening and a strong stomach. The choice to centre a war film on a medic who refuses to kill gives Gibson a demanding task: making the work of saving people compelling amid all that combat. Garfield gives that choice enough weight to make the film worth its excesses. Choose something else if graphic injury is your limit.

*Fi1m score 77, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to Hacksaw Ridge, with praise concentrated on Mel Gibson’s combat staging and Andrew Garfield’s performance as conscientious objector Desmond Doss. The battle sequences are widely described as forceful and clearly handled, making the danger surrounding Doss felt. Garfield’s tenderness and conviction give the story a human centre. Even favourable reviews often find the storytelling old-fashioned and unsubtle, but consider its account of faith and courage stirring.

The sharpest divide concerns whether the graphic violence strengthens the film’s admiration for pacifism or undermines it. Reservations recur over gore, religious imagery and conventional characterisation, though critics differ substantially over their significance. Collider sees a meaningful exploration of the limits of Doss’s beliefs; The Skinny argues that the thrilling combat celebrates violence more than it condemns it. The Playlist’s objection centres instead on a portrayal of faith it regards as glorifying religious intransigence.

## Straight answers

**Is Hacksaw Ridge worth watching?**

*Hacksaw Ridge* is worth watching for anyone who can face graphic combat, and we scored it 77. Andrew Garfield's gentle, stubborn Desmond Doss is the reason to stay with it, and the battle scenes are staged with rare clarity. Mel Gibson's relish for the bloodshed sits awkwardly beside a story about a man who refuses to kill.

**How long is Hacksaw Ridge, and what is it rated?**

*Hacksaw Ridge* runs 2h 19m. It is a drama and history film.

**Where can I watch Hacksaw Ridge in India?**

*Hacksaw Ridge* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in India. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Hacksaw Ridge, and is it suitable for children?**

*Hacksaw Ridge* is a 15 in the UK and R in the US, and the combat is graphic enough to earn both. Gibson dwells on blood and torn bodies, and the injuries are shown with a physical clarity that we found horrifying. It is not for children or the squeamish, though teenagers used to war films will cope.

**How does Hacksaw Ridge compare to A Hidden Life?**

*Hacksaw Ridge* and [*A Hidden Life*](https://film.one/film/a-hidden-life) both follow men whose religious conscience collides with military duty, but they are very different films. Gibson's is loud, bloody and forceful, and it settles its moral question on your behalf; Malick's is slower, quieter and more willing to leave it open. Choose Gibson for the combat, Malick for the argument.

**What should I watch after Hacksaw Ridge?**

After *Hacksaw Ridge*, try [*A Hidden Life*](https://film.one/film/a-hidden-life) (2019, Fi1m 82): Religious conscience meets military duty in a slower, more questioning drama. Then [*Paths of Glory*](https://film.one/film/paths-of-glory) (1957, Fi1m 93): For another account of individual dignity under pressure from military authority; and [*The Ascent*](https://film.one/film/the-ascent) (1977, Fi1m 88): A harsher wartime test of faith, courage and the wish to survive.

### Reviews we read (22)

- **Vulture** (85/100, inferred): Gibson has chosen the right subject for his intense, self-obliterating vision of violence and selflessness, staging relentless battles that highlight the hero's scale. Garfield's all-in performance makes Doss believable as a man on a different plane driven by faith and shame. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2016/10/movie-review-mel-gibsons-hacksaw-ridge.html)
- **Empire**, Phil de Semlyen (80/100, inferred): An old-fashioned story of faith and bravery is delivered with bleeding-edge craft, highlighted by cataclysmic combat sequences and Garfield's grounded lead performance. The film balances spectacle with a character study of moral conviction under fire. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/hacksaw-ridge-review/)
- **Evening Standard**, David Sexton (80/100, inferred): The film powerfully depicts the true story of conscientious objector Desmond Doss through intense, unrelenting combat sequences that evoke Saving Private Ryan. Garfield delivers a standout performance as the humble hero whose faith and courage anchor the visceral war drama. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/hacksaw-ridge-film-review-not-subtle-or-ambiguous-but-theres-no-denying-its-impact-a3451201.html)
- **Radio Times**, Damon Wise (4/5): The critic describes it as a blatantly unsubtle but true story of humility and redemption that earned Gibson Oscar nominations. The battlefield action is singled out for exploding into a timely reminder of war's horrors and the power of doing the right thing. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-f6xnpy/hacksaw-ridge/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (80/100, inferred): Mel Gibson returns to directing with a muscular, intense true story of heroism without violence that overcomes cliched tropes for stirring drama. Andrew Garfield delivers a fiercely driven, human performance as the conscientious objector medic. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/mel-gibsons-hacksaw-ridge-venice-925666/)
- **The i Paper**, Matthew Turner (★★★★): Gibson delivers a stirring war drama about a conscientious objector's heroic actions on the battlefield, marking a strong career comeback. Garfield gives a terrific performance radiating quiet humanity, supported by assured direction and intense combat sequences. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/hacksaw-ridge-review-43748)
- **The Times**, Camilla Long (★★★★): The critic describes an extraordinary, blood-soaked epic with magnificent battle scenes up there with Malick and Spielberg, praising the nuanced performance from Andrew Garfield in this true story. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/film-review-a-war-movie-with-teeth-sc0ptrdv2)
- **Time Out**, Dave Calhoun (4/5): The critic calls it a brutally effective if unsubtle war film with a rousing tale of faith-driven heroism at its core. The recreation of the Battle of Okinawa is singled out as masterfully handled and impossible to look away from. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/hacksaw-ridge)
- **Slant Magazine**, Christopher Gray (3/4): Gibson delivers a fetishistically violent biopic about a Seventh-day Adventist medic that flouts contradictions in the material but succeeds as throwback entertainment blending piety with bloodlust. The simplistic storytelling and religious iconography make it silly yet cannily effective. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/hacksaw-ridge/)
- **Total Film** (75/100, inferred): Gibson returns with a ferociously felt anti-war movie that burns with conviction, while Garfield invests his character with tremendous conviction. The slow-burn setup pays off in fierce focus on characters and intense battle sequences. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/hacksaw-ridge-review/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (70/100, inferred): The critic calls it a robustly told story of courage with a sympathetic performance from Andrew Garfield but notes excessive, unwatchable gore that compensates for the hero's non-violence and a conventional story lacking rigorous investigation of the protagonist's beliefs. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jan/26/hacksaw-ridge-review-mel-gibson-andrew-garfield-second-world-war)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang: The film is a tribute to one man’s courageous adherence to his deepest beliefs, steeped in blood, guts and Christian iconography. It is a mightily impressive, morally incoherent spectacle whose contradictions reflect something irresolvably true about its maker. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-hacksaw-ridge-review-20161028-story.html)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane: The film is the strangest release of the year: an implacably violent movie about a man who wants no part of violence at all. It treads close to madness and majesty alike, with Gibson asking viewers to observe extreme bloodshed to better comprehend the faith that upholds the hero. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/11/07/the-madness-and-majesty-of-hacksaw-ridge)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott: The film is a bluntly effective faith-and-flag war drama about a remarkable hero with moral tension at its center. Gibson retells the story with vigor and suspense while plunging a man of peace into a charnel house of cruelty. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/02/movies/hacksaw-ridge-review-andrew-garfield-mel-gibson.html)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (B+): The critic finds the film a fascinating picture that explores the necessity and limitations of the protagonist's pacifist beliefs amid horrific violence, making it richer than a simple hagiography. Andrew Garfield's tender, endearing performance firmly aligns the audience with the lead character. [Read](https://collider.com/hacksaw-ridge-review/)
- **Consequence** (80/100, inferred): The review praises Mel Gibson's visceral and powerful handling of violence as the element that best anchors the material and accentuates its themes of bravery and inspiration. It notes the film's balanced tone celebrates the power of the human spirit during wartime without being strictly pro- or anti-war. [Read](https://consequence.net/2016/10/film-review-hacksaw-ridge/)
- **The Playlist**, Jessica Kiang (40/100, inferred): The critic calls the film viscerally affecting yet ethically worrisome, arguing it glorifies religious intransigence rather than humanist convictions. She praises the spectacle and Gibson's return but objects to its agenda-driven portrayal of faith. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/viscerally-affecting-ethically-worrisome-hacksaw-ridge-venice-review-20160904/)
- **The Skinny**, John Bleasdale (40/100, inferred): The piece questions whether the film functions as war porn despite its pacifist hero, arguing that Gibson's graphic, thrilling battle sequences ultimately celebrate violence more than condemn it. It singles out the heavy-handed treatment of combat and the enemy as a major flaw. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/opinion/hacksaw-ridge-war-porn-mel-gibson)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond: The critic calls the film remarkable and inspiring, highlighting Mel Gibson's best directing work since Braveheart and Andrew Garfield's moving performance as the heroic medic. The realistic, unflinching combat sequences are singled out as astonishing and unforgettable. [Read](https://deadline.com/2016/10/hacksaw-ridge-review-mel-gibsons-andrew-garfield-desmond-doss-video-1201845607/)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4.5 out of 5): The critic calls the film a transcendent achievement for Gibson and Garfield, praising its portrayal of a man of deep faith and grace amid horrific war violence. They highlight the contrast between the earnest character study and the extreme battle carnage as particularly effective. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/hacksaw-ridge-review/)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray: The critic finds the film clichéd and overly reliant on heavy-handed melodrama and excessive gore in its battle sequences. He acknowledges the real-life story's power but criticizes the artificial passions and over-the-top violence. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/hacksaw-ridge-2016-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)
- **The Wrap**: The critic observes that the film extols pacifism while making war brutally exciting, praising the kinetic and architecturally clear battle sequences as some of the most breathtaking wartime footage in recent memory. The over-the-top ultra-violence and the inherent difficulty of making a truly anti-war film are noted as drawbacks. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/hacksaw-ridge-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Mel Gibson
- **Director:** Mel Gibson
- **Screenplay:** Robert Schenkkan, Andrew Knight
- **Cinematography:** Simon Duggan
- **Editor:** John Gilbert
- **Music:** Rupert Gregson-Williams
- **Production design:** Barry Robison
- **Costume design:** Lizzy Gardiner
- **Producer:** Terry Benedict, Paul Currie, Bruce Davey
- **Cast:** Andrew Garfield as Desmond T. Doss; Sam Worthington as Captain Glover; Vince Vaughn as Sgt Howell; Teresa Palmer as Dorothy Schuttle; Luke Bracey as Smitty Ryker; Hugo Weaving as Tom Doss; Rachel Griffiths as Bertha Doss; Ryan Corr as Lieutenant Manville
- **Runtime:** 2h 19m
- **Release (India):** 16 December 2016
- **Genres:** Drama, History, War
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2016); [Golden Globe Best Drama winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-drama.md) (Nominee, 2016)
- **Budget:** $40 million
- **Box office:** $175 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2-1hz1juBI

## Where to watch in India

- Amazon Prime Video: add-on

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, ID, IE, IN, IT, JP, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PL, PT, SE, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2017: Best Actor (nominated); Best Director (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Sound Editing (nominated); Best Film Editing (won); Best Sound (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role 2016: AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role 2016: AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role 2016: AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (nominated)
- AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role 2016: AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (nominated)
- AACTA Award for Best Cinematography 2016: AACTA Award for Best Cinematography (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Costume Design 2016: AACTA Award for Best Costume Design (nominated)
- AACTA Award for Best Direction 2016: AACTA Award for Best Direction (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Editing 2016: AACTA Award for Best Editing (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Film 2016: AACTA Award for Best Film (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay 2016: AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Production Design 2016: AACTA Award for Best Production Design (won)
- AACTA Award for Best Sound 2016: AACTA Award for Best Sound (won)

## If you liked this

- *The Burmese Harp* (1956): Another wartime story of religious conviction, with more patience for grief.
- *A Hidden Life* (2019), Fi1m 82: Religious conscience meets military duty in a slower, more questioning drama. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-hidden-life.md)
- *Paths of Glory* (1957), Fi1m 93: For another account of individual dignity under pressure from military authority. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paths-of-glory.md)
- *The Ascent* (1977), Fi1m 88: A harsher wartime test of faith, courage and the wish to survive. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-ascent.md)
- *Saving Private Ryan* (1998), Fi1m 84: For combat staged with punishing clarity and soldiers given recognisable human needs. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/saving-private-ryan.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/hacksaw-ridge