Before Dawn had the potential to rise above an oversaturation of World War movies, but fails to deliver substantive character development and smooth editing.
Director: Jordon Prince-Wright
Writers: Jordon Prince-Wright & Jarrad Russell
Genre: War Drama, History
Run Time: 101′
Where to Watch (US): Now on digital platforms; from September 24, 2024 on Blu-ray and DVD
Where to Watch (UK & Ireland): Now on digital platforms and DVD
A quiet life on the family farm ends for Jim Collins (Levi Miller) when he joins the Australian military during World War I. He’s young and comes from humble beginnings, but believes he must fight for his country and perhaps bring the devastating war to a sooner end. Before Dawn tells the story of men in the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) as they undergo years of warfare in the trenches of the western front. It has the potential to rise above an oversaturation of World War movies, but unfortunately fails to deliver substantive character development and smooth editing.
Before Dawn features typical battle scenes, replete with grand explosions, enemy gunfire coming too close for comfort, and soldiers crawling through muddy trenches. To balance such intensity, the film bounces between present-day war and the months leading up to Jim joining the military. Jim is the least cynical among his comrades; much of the movie’s story hinges on his unwavering hope that the war will end, even though his family thinks he’s wasting his life.
While Saxon Wright’s editing is stellar in some cases, immersing viewers in the film’s gloom, there are many scenes haphazardly spliced together. Heartbreaking moments that deserve to be lingered on are cut short, only to transition to moments of serenity in Jim’s pre-war life. While the intent may have been to create a juxtaposition of the main character’s inner turmoil and former peace, the transitions are abrupt and take away from the movie’s overall tone.
Before Dawn’s main setting is in the trenches of the western front, and much of the main characters’ development takes place as they reel from surprise attacks from the enemy and struggle to fortify their position. As the soldiers grow closer to one another, there doesn’t seem to be much individual development. Jim’s arc is the most apparent, but for the majority of the film, the others just dither. At times, the cast appears more like props in the background than the main focus. This is compounded by their acting. Jim gives a satisfactory performance, but they all seem unperturbed by war, even after thousands of days on the front lines. Their facial expressions and mannerisms in battle scenes are not convincing.
The film’s final act, however, does feature solid filmmaking. Even though the characters are underdeveloped, their final push to overcome the enemy displays the depth of their reliance upon one another, and the editing is much better as it lingers on the present scene without cutting profound moments hastily. Miller’s acting is best at the end, and he finally manages to portray the effects of war in his demeanor and line delivery.
Before Dawn tells a true story of ANZACs on the western front, but its filmmaking weakens the poignancy of its subject. The third act shows some promise, but only after questionable editing choices and unconvincing acting dampen the intensity.
Before Dawn is now available to watch on digital and on demand and will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 24, 2024.
