War also only has one take.
Presentation:
Okay, the film isn't really shot in one take, but it's presented as such and does so quite well with noticeable cuts if you're looking for it but none as egregious as Birdman. 1917 looks spectacular with Roger Deakin's eye for aesthetics, as there's something about his grade preference and lens choice that has a gentle softness regardless of whether he uses natural lighting. All of his sequences look phenomenal regardless of the lighting conditions. The film rarely takes a breathe as you go from one sequence to another with immersive and state of the art steadicam/crane camera work. The visuals are beautiful enough to make you want to go to war in the trenches - It could be the most beautiful war film of all time, but is somewhat limited by its framing under a single take film.
Conclusion:
Who the hell cares if this is a gimmick? The film looks amazing with incredible cinematography making the simplified story perhaps obsolete, but shifting the focus on what makes war films so compelling: the experience. And that's what this film accomplishes so expertly. Does it transport you to 1917? I don’t know, but it makes me want to.
Recommendations
The Mexican border all cinema will get compared to.