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Gallipoli Customer Reviews (31 - 33 of 50 Reviews)

Australia's coming of age
This movie is superb. In response to the commentary below, England may have lost more men than the ANZACs, but it is also true that proportionally more Australians and New Zealanders per head of population were lost than any other country involved in the war. ANZAC day has more meaning to many Australians than Australia day. If you had ever been present at the dawn service @ Gallipoli itself or at any of the war memorials throughout the country or at the Cenotaph in Sydney, you would agree. I am Australian, of Australian parents and my great grandfather served @ Galipoli. To denigrate those who died there is to denigrate Australia and the point at which it is generally regarded Australia became a nation. This movie is not a celebration of war. It is a celebration of those who fought and serves to demonstrate that war is ultimately a foolish waste of life. Mel Gibson's acting is very strong and the soundtrack is in parts haunting. This movie is a must see for Australians in particular and others in general.

Brilliant, heartbreaking drama of British failure
World War I may be far removed from many who fancy themselves devotees of films on war. Further from their thoughts still may be the battle fought at Gallipoli by the Australians and New Zealanders against the "Fuzzies" - the Turks.

As part of the British Empire, the Aussies and the Kiwis were expected to fight for honor and country, but the "Empire" was merely using them as fodder and for diversion. It was a battle that the Empire knew could not be won, but one they wanted fought all the same.

Gallipoli the film, demonstrates the ridiculousness of the British system of awarding officership to those from well-bred stock simply by virtue of their birth and not based on ability or skill. It becomes painfully obvious to even the most pedestrian of viewers that those in charge hadn't a clue how to win this battle, but were more interested in maintaining proper British custom and etiquette.

Mel Gibson (in an early role) and Mark Lee play friends/mates who learn friendship as a result of their love of running (track). Lee's character has the skill and ability to excel, but he is too young to enlist. His love of country is so strong, he forges his documents and is accepted into the army equestrian corp. Gibson joins as well, more out of loyalty to his "mate" than to country and obligation.

This drama shows the lengths to which two young men will go to defend honor, country, and friendship. While it shows one of the most realistic battle scenes shown with regard to this war, it is not a war picture.

The final scene of this film is so riveting and heartbreaking that it is impossible to view it without shedding more than a few tears. It is further impossible to view it without finding a palpable anger deep inside for those who would put in charge those who lack the fundamental skills to strategize in favor of those with station in society.

I highly recommend this film. You'll not find many films nearly as well produced, directed, portrayed, and crafted.

Credit where it's due
As an English woman (I hate the term Brit - surely it's racist, isn't it? A bit like Paki or Frog?) I have the utmost respect for the ANZAC's. However - after reading a few of the reviews posted here, I'm not going to sit by and allow my own country to be denigrated.

There were thousands of British troops at Gallipoli as well as a smaller French contingent - under the command of Sir Ian Hamilton, a man acknowledged for his excellent bravery, but lacking the decisive qualities needed for the leadership of such an expedition.

In fact - despite the well-known WW1 poem about the Australian buried at Suvla Bay, there were mainly British forces put ashore there, (the famous 'Lost Battalion' of 1/5th Norfolk Reg. being one of them.) Most of the ANZAC forces landed further south at Anzac Cove.

Australia and New Zealand both entered the war behind Britain on an upsurge of patriotism - not surprising given that the then population of Australia who were of European descent was 96% British. ANZAC recruiting remained entirely voluntary throughout the whole of the war and the response from both the Australian and NZ populus was magnificent. Some 332,000 troops served overseas, of whom 212,000 were wounded and 60,000 were killed, a casualty rate of more than 82%.

There is no doubt the ANZAC's suffered terrifically during the Dardanelles campaign. The whole campaign was badly timed and hugely underestimated the Turks and their reorganisation by the German general Otto Liman Van Sanders. However, the British suffered too - a fact that is often forgotten.

As regards the film itself - it's a lesson in why war is futile, a study of loss of innocence, a moving demonstration of comradeship and love between men under the most execrable of conditions. Harrowing and intensely compelling. Peter Weir evokes atmosphere unlike any other.

If you're English - try to forget Mel's pathological hatred of us for a couple of hours and remember why our own fathers/grandfathers who fought in that terrible war had such tremendous respect for the ANZAC troops they encountered. And of course . . . we can always think of the Rugby!

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