Parents' Guide to

Hacksaw Ridge

By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

True story of pacifist soldier has extreme war violence.

Movie R 2016 138 minutes
Hacksaw Ridge Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 42 parent reviews

Tal I.
Tal I. Parent of 9 and 14-year-old
March 21, 2024
age 18+

incredible

Jackson S.
Jackson S. Adult
January 9, 2023
age 15+

I really liked how realistic and sad this movie can be at times but the downside is that it is really bloody and to the point where you see open flesh, people in half, and people missing limbs. You will also see a soldiers backside.
See all 42 parent reviews

What's the Story?

HACKSAW RIDGE is based on the true story of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), a conscientious objector who was awarded the Medal of Honor for rescuing 75 wounded men while under fire during World War II. Doss was the son of a violent alcoholic father (Hugo Weaving) who beat his mother and encouraged violence between his sons. But the devout Doss renounces violence as he comes to believe that the 10 commandments speak directly to him. Because he loves his country, he enlists to serve in World War II, certain he can support the military as an unarmed medic on the battlefield. The Army doesn't agree and spends a great deal of energy trying to rid itself of a man who refuses to touch a weapon, never mind learn to shoot people with it. Eventually, though, a colonel allows Doss to become a medic without completing the weaponry portion of basic training. His company's first mission is to take a strategic, strongly defended Japanese ridge. Once on the battlefield and under relentless attack, Doss and the men he trained with are horrified and overwhelmed by the grisly and terrifying facts of war. But Doss darts from body to body, checking for life and treating the wounded. When his company retreats, Doss seeks prayerful guidance and then returns alone to the battlefield, unarmed, to begin an all-night campaign to save as many men as he can.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (42 ):
Kids say (126 ):

Although this WWII action drama is a technical wonder, the soul of the movie feels at odds with itself. While director Mel Gibson fairly represents Doss' pacifist principles, he also simultaneously stages another movie, a stealth movie, that presents war as a glorious character builder, a nurturing ground for male friendship, and an expression of man's nobility and grit. Yes, Gibson dutifully records the severed limbs and the moaning, wounded, hideously disfigured soldiers. War is hell, the movie says over and over again.

But, the director also reminds us, it's not without moments of nobility and magnificence -- as evidence by the gorgeous slow-motion depictions of bombs landing on human targets, bursting into awe-inspiring flames, and killing and maiming who knows how many, just to prove his point (a point he previously made in Braveheart). So it's hard not to feel like Hacksaw Ridge works as hard to undermine Doss' position as it does to support it. Many of the soldiers and officers who at first abuse and look down on Doss for his refusal to carry a gun later apologize to him after recognizing his bravery and the depth of his convictions. All of that said, Garfield does a great job playing Doss with intelligence, charm, and a believable inner spiritual life.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Hacksaw Ridge's violence. How does it compare to what you might see in a superhero action movie or horror movie? Which has the most impact? Why do you think that is?

  • What does it mean to have a sense of duty? Why do you think Doss felt so strongly about going into battle, unarmed, to help the wounded soldiers?

  • How does Doss demonstrate integrity and courage? Why are those important character strengths?

  • Talk about how the movie depicts the historic events at its center. How accurate do you think it is? Why might filmmakers choose to alter the facts? What are the challenges of adapting a true story for the screen?

  • War movies tend to take one side's perspective over the other(s). Why is it important to be aware of that? How might this story be told differently from the Japanese army's point of view?

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