movie review 'Hacksaw Ridge(2017)', "Please… let me save just one more"

 Review of the movie 'Hacksaw Ridge (2017)', "I can only live properly if I am true to my beliefs!"

In *Hacksaw Ridge*, Desmond Doss (portrayed by Andrew Garfield), a staunch pacifist, voluntarily enlists in the Army as a medic, determined to protect his country and loved ones without ever lifting a weapon. As he refuses even basic firearms training, a requirement for all soldiers, he faces harsh criticism and ridicule from his fellow soldiers and the military at large. “When the world is falling apart, I don’t think it’s bad to try to put it back together, even just a little.” These words demonstrate Doss’s steadfast commitment to service. Although he is eventually court-martialed, his superiors recognize his unwavering belief and allow him to join the Battle of Okinawa as an unarmed medic. Without a gun, Doss enters the brutal battleground of Hacksaw Ridge. In his first experience of combat, he witnesses countless comrades lose their lives. His belief in non-violence is shaken as he faces the horrors around him. In a moment of despair, he calls out to God. “What do you want me to do?” At that moment, he begins to hear voices shouting: “Medic, over here!” “Please, save me!” “There’s no medic over there!” Though I can’t recall the exact words, these cries are close. In this moment, Doss understands that God has responded—his calling is to save those who need his help. With a quiet prayer for strength, he tirelessly rescues soldiers throughout the night. “Please… let me save just one more.” Conviction, at its core, is the strength of one’s belief. In the film, Doss refers to it as "what I believe," encapsulating the very essence of his unwavering faith. “I don’t know how I’m going to live with myself if I don’t stay true to what I believe.” In moments when others urge him to abandon his beliefs, Doss insists on staying true. To forsake his principles would be to betray himself, and he knows that living a life of self-deception would be unbearable. This sense of conviction, possibly strengthened by the hardships of his father, who returned from war having lost his comrades, drives Doss to hold firmly to his beliefs. In the end, if we abandon what we believe in, we may also lose faith in ourselves, condemning us to a life of regret. “When you are convinced of something, that’s no joke. That’s what you are.” As the film suggests, belief is an inseparable part of who we are. *Hacksaw Ridge* reminds us to consider our own convictions, asking whether we hold true to them with integrity. It’s a rare film that brings such profound spiritual richness and leaves a lasting impact. The movie 'Hacksaw Ridge' made me think about what my current beliefs are and whether I am upholding them without shame. It was a movie that moved me with a tremendous amount of spiritual richness for the first time in a long while. Just like Doss, who prayed for his beliefs by saying, “Please let me save just one more person,” shouldn’t we always live with a prayer in our hearts for our beliefs?