andrew garfield war film

Ever wondered if Hacksaw Ridge was just Hollywood hocus-pocus or actually rooted in real blood, sweat, and prayer? Well, mate, it’s as real as your nan’s Sunday roast—no cap. The Andrew Garfield war filmHacksaw Ridge is based on the jaw-dropping true story of Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector who refused to carry a weapon but still saved 75 men during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. Garfield didn’t just play a soldier—he embodied the grit, faith, and quiet courage of a man who believed you could be a hero without firing a single shot. Honestly, watching him plead “Lord, help me get one more” while bullets whizzed past? Chills, bruv. Absolute chills.

If you reckon the only Andrew Garfield war film is Hacksaw Ridge, you’re sleepin’ on his range, innit? While Hacksaw Ridge (2016) remains his most iconic military role—earning him an Oscar nod, mind you—he’s dipped his toes in other wartime waters too. In Blood Father (2016), though not strictly a war flick, he plays a troubled vet tangled in violence. And let’s not forget his voice work in animated war-adjacent tales. But yeah, when folks ask, “What movie did Andrew Garfield play a soldier in?”—they’re almost always talkin’ about Desmond Doss. And fair enough! The bloke trained like mad, lost weight, and even adopted Doss’s soft-spoken Virginia drawl. Proper dedication, that.

So, what Andrew Garfield war film list are we workin’ with? Strictly speaking, Hacksaw Ridge is his only full-blown, boots-in-the-mud, blood-on-the-bayonet war epic. But cinema’s messy, yeah? Some argue The Social Network was a different kind of battlefield (lawsuits > landmines), but nah—we’re stickin’ to khaki and combat. That said, Garfield’s always drawn to roles with moral weight, and war films suit that like tea suits biscuits. He’s turned down other military scripts, sayin’ he only wanted to do one if it “honoured the truth.” Respect. So while his official war filmography’s short, it’s *dense*—like a proper stodgy Yorkshire pudding.

Alright, quick pop quiz: Is Hacksaw Ridge set in WW1 or WW2? If you said WW1, bless your cotton socks—you’ve got the right war spirit but the wrong decade. The Andrew Garfield war film unfolds squarely in World War II, specifically during the Pacific campaign in 1945. Okinawa, to be precise—a brutal, muddy, hellish slog where the U.S. Army faced fanatical Japanese resistance. Fun fact: the Maeda Escarpment (aka “Hacksaw Ridge”) was so steep, medics had to lower wounded soldiers down cliffs with ropes. And Doss did that… alone… at night… while under fire. Yeah. So next time someone mixes up the wars, just hand ‘em a copy of this film and say, “Educate yerself, love.”

Garfield didn’t just *act* like Desmond Doss—he *became* him. For the Andrew Garfield war film, he reportedly lost nearly 20 pounds, lived on a diet of beans and rice (like Doss did during training), and even attended church services to understand his character’s Seventh-day Adventist faith. He told interviewers he’d wake up at 5 a.m. to pray, not ‘cause he had to, but ‘cause he *felt* it. That’s method acting with a conscience, not just a mirror. And the result? A performance so raw, you forget you’re watching Spider-Man under that helmet. Honestly, the man deserves a medal just for the accent alone—soft, Southern, and stubborn as hell.

Let’s be real: most war films either glorify combat or drown in cynicism. But Hacksaw Ridge—this Andrew Garfield war film—did somethin’ radical. It showed war as both hell *and* holy ground. Director Mel Gibson didn’t shy from gore (those amputations? Yikes), but he also lingered on moments of grace: a whispered prayer, a shared canteen, a stretcher carried through hellfire. Critics called it “a miracle wrapped in shrapnel,” and they weren’t wrong. It proved you could make a war film that’s brutal *and* beautiful, violent *and* virtuous. And Garfield? He was the still point in that storm—calm, unwavering, utterly human.

Oh, they noticed alright. The Andrew Garfield war filmHacksaw Ridge wasn’t just a box office hit (£175 million worldwide on a £35 million budget—nice ROI, lads); it swept awards season like a medic clearing a triage tent. Six Oscar noms, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Garfield. He didn’t win, but let’s be honest—losing to Casey Affleck in *Manchester by the Sea* ain’t no shame. BAFTAs, Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice… the man was everywhere, humble as ever, always shoutin’ out Desmond’s legacy over his own. Class act. And the film itself? Holds a 86% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.8 on IMDb. Not bad for a “religious pacifist war movie,” eh?

Since Hacksaw Ridge dropped, fans have gone proper bonkers dissecting every frame of this Andrew Garfield war film. Some reckon the rope Doss uses is a metaphor for divine intervention (fair). Others say the film’s structure mirrors the Stations of the Cross (also fair). But beyond the film nerds, it sparked real-world impact: U.S. military chaplains now use clips in training, and Doss’s Medal of Honor citation is taught in leadership courses. Even in the UK, schools screen it for ethics lessons. And Garfield? He’s said he still gets letters from vets thanking him for “showing what real courage looks like.” Blimey. That’s legacy, not just a role.

Stack Garfield’s Desmond Doss against, say, Bradley Cooper’s Chris Kyle in American Sniper or Tom Hanks’ Captain Miller in Saving Private Ryan, and you see a different kind of heroism. Those blokes were warriors; Doss was a healer. The Andrew Garfield war film flips the script: the gun isn’t the symbol of strength—the stretcher is. Where others roar, he whispers. Where others charge, he crawls back into fire to drag a mate to safety. It’s not anti-war; it’s pro-humanity. And that’s why it stands out in a genre often obsessed with explosions over empathy. Garfield didn’t need a rifle to command the screen—he had conviction. And that’s louder than any artillery.

Fancy a proper watch of this Andrew Garfield war film? It’s floatin’ around on most major platforms. You can rent it on Amazon Prime Video for about £3.49, or nab it on Apple TV, Google Play, or Sky Store. Fancy ownin’ it? Blu-ray’s goin’ for roughly £8.99—bargain for a film that’ll leave you weepin’ into your cuppa. And hey, if you’re feelin’ nostalgic, why not pair it with a visit to The Great War Archive for more deep dives? Or browse the Valor section for tales of real-life grit. And if you’re hooked on war dramas, don’t miss our breakdown of The War Zone: Full Movie – Gritty Drama Uncovered.

References

• https://www.history.com/news/hacksaw-ridge-desmond-doss-true-story
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Desmond-Doss
• https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2017
• https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2119532/
• https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hacksaw_ridge