Mel Gibson is back in the Director's chair for an epic war movie about not fighting. Andrew Garfield delivers a lifetime best performance as real life hero Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector who served in the Second World War without even touching a weapon. It's gory and painfully visual, but underneath it's a moving story about faith and sticking to your values even in the toughest of times.

[EDIT: Hacksaw Ridge has been rightly nominated for 6 Oscars!]

I'll admit I hadn't even seen a single trailer for Hacksaw Ridge so I attended the premiere with few expectations. Reviews kicking about from markets where it has already been released were rave, and I can completely see why. It's an incredible true story about Desmond Doss, a pacifist  who went to war. A committed Seventh-day Adventist Christian and medic, he practised what he preached...and then some. Due to his religious beliefs, he refused to take a life or even bear arms. He found a conscience in a brutal war and the result is one of the most inspiring journeys that ever made it onto the big screen. It's nearly unbelievable...except it's true.

You're probably thinking...how does a pacifist go to war? And why would he even want to? The film dedicates more than an hour exploring the lead-up to combat, answering all those questions whilst making you question your own values and beliefs, and how much you would stick to it even if it meant life or death. It's a story of two halves but within that such a range of different scenes, and emphasis is placed on the first half's stages of training and Doss's upbringing (to the point where I thought, maybe the film doesn't even go to war?). There's a backstory about his childhood and family, involving his alcoholic father played by Hugo Weaving, who quietly scene-steals and deserves all the accolades and nominations for his supporting role. These are scenes that are obviously quieter than the second half's bloody war scenes, but are somehow shout more loudly. The message is reinforced throughout every fibre of this soulful film. If you can forgive a long running time of nearly two-and-a-half hours, you'll sit through the film without even realising it. It was Gibson's intention to immerse you in Doss's experiences as wholly as possible, and this is achieved without question.

You go on a journey from Doss's lifechanging childhood in Virginia, to the sweet carefree boy-meets-girl encounters with Dorothy Schutte (Teresa Palmer), to the tense familial scenes, to humorous and dead-serious training, to court reprimands...and that's all before you even reach the Okinawa battle in Japan. Each scene holds a common thread of Doss and his character, and his character portrayal and depth is one of the best you've seen in recent cinema. A lot of this is down to a wonderful Andrew Garfield and his ability to break your heart and restore it, and earnestly portray a character who gave and gave so much. If he isn't nominated for an Oscar (or win it), it'll be a tremendous mistake.

The production value is also immense. You are transported to Hacksaw Ridge and it's all around you, but be warned as it is bloody and brutal and will be difficult to watch. The editing makes it all the more real; I may not be a war film buff, but I know these battle scenes will have you on the edge of your seat and will probably go down in war film history. Yet this is a film with delicate emotion alongside horrifying killing, so the poignant "one more, one more" moments will still pack a punch.

There are reportedly several differences in the adaptation, leading to my critique that made me ponder over awarding those 5 stars; parts of the true story are waived in favour of The Hollywood Effect. For example, there's a dramatic wedding day,  a movie-style romance and several other scenes that you can appreciate but expect in a big budget production. Plus, the typical patriotic war scenes share the same pitfalls as those in its genre have suffered. Namely, the 'Americanised' depiction of war. Here, the Japanese are painted as the absolute enemy, and even when some are saved by Doss it is a fact merely glossed over. The other element of the Hollywood Effect is the slow-mo exaggeration, and the slightly over-the-top ethereal moments of Garfield. I get the spiritual background, but a few scenes seem like they're trying too hard to mirror Christ.

I'm probably giving Hacksaw Ridge a hard time talking about Hollywood, but it was actually an Australian production, and one of the best things about this is the talented Australian actors. Sam Worthington, who's already made a big name for himself from the likes of Avatar is reliably good as Captain Glover. Then there's Luke Bracey who you may not have heard of, but he's absolutely brilliant as tough guy Smitty. And to shout out names like Ben Mingay, Nathaniel Buzolic, and Damien Thomlinson, who was actually in the army and was injured by an explosion in Afghanistan, resulting in limb amputation. He plays an injured soldier and after the screening, Garfield applauded his bravery at reliving those scenes. The last shout-out goes to a surprisingly amazing Vince Vaughn. I keep picturing him as an eternal funnyman but here he's playing a Serious Scary Sergeant and they could not have cast a better actor.

Above all, this is an inspirational watch. See the skinny kid who was bullied and told to quit the army? Spoiler alert -he only goes and saves 75 lives! Single-handedly! Yep, probably should've mentioned that line at the start but I for one definitely was not expecting that. The way they do that is one of the most incredible scenes I've seen in the cinema for a very long time - it's soo tense too. He did not fit into the stereotypical view of what a soldier should be, but his bravery will astound anyone. It's a jaw-dropping true story, tense as tense can be. There's a lesson to be learned too. As a Christian myself, it challenged my own views on some of the moral decisions he faced and I'll be honest and say I wouldn't have the guts to do what Doss did. Even if you're not religious, it's about knowing your identity, and sticking to your values. And then there's the case of the 75 lives, cos woaaaah. If those scenes don't move you, Gibson couldn't possibly have done any more. Just before the credits roll, you align to real life footage and it puts everything into perspective. Desmond Doss, what a ledge.

Andrew Garfield at the Hacksaw Ridge premiere

Turning up in a casual coat (it was cold, after all), Andrew Garfield spoke (or in his words, "I ramble loads") about his experience making Hacksaw Ridge. Garfield spoke about how Doss transcended everything - even more than what his faith led him to do. He also praised Gibson's directorial style as pure instinct, and editing it together as a masterpiece: "it's not so much intellect, but it's all instinctual".

On Mel Gibson: "When we're acting, it's as much his performance as it is ours."

On the cast: "I fell in love with all the cast", he said, further admiring the young Australian actors on the team.

On Doss's heroism: "It makes me think, what the f---- have I done with my life!?"

On saving those 75 lives: "I know it doesn't compare, but even acting it out it was so difficult. What Doss did, that's physically impossible."