War Horse

Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Jeremy Irvine, Peter Mullan, Emily Watson and David Thewlis
Release Date: 2012-02-10 00:00:00
Quick Take: Spielberg doesn’t horse around


War Horse is a children’s tale about a horse that lives through the First World War. That may sound like a fairytale to some because it is just that. The film deals with the improbable story of a thoroughbred horse travelling across Europe and miraculously finding his way through most obstacles. Horses with personalities and a goose with a temper make this movie a tale of fantasy. It’s a tale that requires imagination to appreciate and innocence to believe in bare emotions.

In an English town called Devon is born a colt who’s later named Joey by his young owner Albie (Jeremy Irvine). Right from the start you can see Joey is a spirited stallion, sort of like a Free Willy version of a horse. As destiny would have it, Joey and Albie who’ve become like blood brothers are separated at the time of war. That sets in motion Joey’s big journey with new owners, a battle against German soldiers and their fancy guns and meeting his best mate, obviously another horse serving in the war.

Of course the film’s main story is supported by such stereotypes like a farming family under financial duress, Germans being smarter and more ruthless at war than England and France, two brothers reluctantly serving in the war and a critically ill girl who finds happiness in her equestrian company. But all of those clichés come together to lend depth to a larger story. That of a horse winning over the hearts of men and women across borders. Heck Joey even inspires a British and a German soldier to work together in no man’s land pat in the middle of the war recess.

Steven Spielberg’s best war-related works like Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan and Munich had emotional depth through bonds between men. War Horse relates to the same kind of emotions; only they’re depicted through the reactions of people towards the heroic actions of a horse. A hackneyed sense of British humour accompanies the film not to mention unadulterated Manmohan Desai style melodrama right before the climax. All of it is enough to put you off in case you’re expecting too much.

The key therefore is not to have expectations of the story but of the storyteller. While his story stays naive, Spielberg the filmmaker excels at capturing drama, emotion and joy in all its glory. This one’s more about the artiste than the art itself.