A preview had intrigued me ahead of this documentary's release, but then I forgot. Seems nobody in my circles was talking about it, despite Peter Jackson directing (not that my circles frequently discuss documentaries). Only when Netflix announced that it would stop streaming did I jump at the chance. A 99-minute runtime for the theatrical cut helped.
There is no main narrator herein. Instead, we get recorded recollections from various British World War I veterans (who, ironically, sound like they did grow old) overlaying video, photos, and editorial cartoons. We don't learn any names before the end credits, so it manages to be generally anonymous yet decidedly personal.
The innovation hyped in the preview was how the footage got enhanced with digital touch-ups, color, and sounds created in a studio. For some reason, these additions don't begin until 25 minutes in. And while they do tend to help our immersion, some touch-ups look janky enough to break the illusion. Jackson isn't noted for cutting corners, but I guess someone didn't want to miss the centennial deadline.
Perhaps it's just as well to limit our immersion, because yes, the R is for real-life violence. We don't really see anyone in the process of dying, but the corpses are unsightly enough. Mercifully, there isn't as much focus on fighting as you might expect for the subject of war.
For me, the most interesting parts concerned the soldiers' experience outside of battle. Their post-boot camp lives were largely an ordeal before they ever saw any action. And they didn't exactly rejoice with the armistice or when they went home. They had their fun moments, but overall, I'd hate to be one of them.
TSNGO is an admirable if incomplete project that made a piece of history as real for me as I care to have it. I felt slightly bored in the beginning, but I recommend the rest at least to those who feel up to it.
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