THE WAR BELOW – Review

When you hear WWI, trenches and trench warfare often spring to mind. THE WAR BELOW is based on a true story about World War I but instead of trenches, it is about some clever, skilled tunnelers seeking to sabotage German forces.

World War I, then called the Great War, and the “War to End All Wars,” was a earth-shattering conflict, changing the nature of warfare, remaking the political and physical landscape, and decimating a generation of young men. THE WAR BELOW is based on the true story of a group of British sewer tunnelers from Yorkshire, nicknamed the “clay-kickers,” who were brought in by “Hellfire Jack” Col. John Norton-Griffiths to help break the stalemate with the German forces in the battle of Messines in 1917. The result of their near-miraculous efforts was a massive explosion under the enemy line, one of the largest non-nuclear explosion ever, which killed over 10,000 Germans.

It is a heck of a story and a great idea for a film, and the latest in a recent run of dramas and documentaries covering this long overlooked but history-changing war. That worthy list includes the Oscar-winning 1917, Peter Jackson’s amazing documentary THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD and the French gem A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT. Despite a limited budget, writer/director J.P. Watts creates a handsome war drama in THE WAR BELOW, with fine performances although there is a bit of unevenness in his feature film directorial debut.

Stymied by the standoff with the German forces at Messines in 1917, Col. John Norton-Griffiths (Tom Goodman-Hill), a British officer whose unconventional style earned him the nickname “Hellfire Jack,” comes up with the idea to recruit civilian men who are experts in tunneling to help break the stalemate. With a standstill on the surface with both sides in trenches and a deadly no-man’s land between them, the Germans have been tunneling extensively, listening in on Allies, The British want to catch-up underground, but with an eye to going further by planting bombs under the German lines. But Col. Jack’s superiors, Field Marshal Haig (Douglas Reith) and his immediate superior Fielding (Andrew Scarborough), don’t much like the idea and are especially hostile to using civilians, particularly the group Col. Jack picks – Yorkshire sewer workers. There is disdain for them as men not serving with the troops, for being lower-class sewer workers, for being from the North. But the colonel knows they have exactly the skills he needs, so he persists until his superiors grudgingly agree to give it test run, with the idea that regular soldiers will take over if it works.

One of the men that Col. Norton-Griffiths recruits is William Hawkins (Sam Hazeldine, whom some viewers will recognize from TV’s “Peaky Blinders” and who also appeared in THE LAST DUEL). Hawkins jumps at the chance to help, as he feels badly about not being able to serve his country. In fact, Hawkins did try to enlist but was rejected due to a troubling sound in his lungs. Although it was not his fault, Hawkins feels shame, and is shamed by a society that regards any military age man not in service as a potential coward, although his supportive wife Jane (Anna Maguire) does what she can to buck him up. Still, Hawkins seizes the opportunity Hellfire Jack presents, cutting some corners to make sure he is part of the plan. Hawkins’ internal demons push him to do more than anyone expects, calling on his skills and a creative determination, to do his bit for the war.

Hawkins and his team of four clay-kickers do much more than a bit. Hawkins becomes the inspirational leader of a group of tunneling experts that includes a pair of brothers, George and Charlie MacDonald (Elliot James Langridge and Sam Clemmett) as well as Shorty (Joseph Steyne) and Henry (Sonny Ashbourne Serkis). The task they face is daunting: to figure out how to tunnel through the dauntingly difficult clay of the landscape where the trenches are dug. The goal is to tunnel beneath enemy lines and then plant bombs, all while evading detection by the Germans, who are digging their own tunnels. It is a tough job yet the civilian tunnelers also face abuse by the regular troops, not just disdainful officers, as well as the dangers of the sniper-filled battlefield itself.

These characters are based on real people, and it is an inspirational, thrilling true story of human determination and courage. History buffs will be thrilled with this war drama but knowledge of WWI history is not required to enjoy this fine drama. This British production does seem to assume audiences might know something of “Hellfire Jack” Col. Norton-Griffiths, which might cause a bit of confusion to start, but one still quickly gets caught up into the film’s story. Col. Norton-Griffiths comes up with a game-changing plan but faces push-back from his more conventional superiors, underlining one of the persistent issues in WWI, the inability of generals and upper level leaders to recognize how warfare had fundamentally changed. The tunnelers Hellfire Jack recruits face class prejudices and the Northerners face regional disdain as well from the officers they are serving. Despite that, and their own feelings about the war or shame, however misplaced, at not being in the military, the clay-kickers overcome all that, with teamwork and resourcefulness, to get the job done, far beyond anything expected.

Much of the film rests on the performance of Sam Hazeldine as the primary character. Hazeldine gives a strong performance as this haunted man, driven by his self-doubts yet rising to become an inspiring leader for his team. Unfortunately, the rest of the characters are not as well fleshed out, although Elliot James Langridge and Sam Clemmett as the Macdonald brothers give touching performances and Anna Maguire as Jane Hawkins gives us a sensitive glimpse into the tensions of women at home left to wonder and worry. Hellfire Jack remains a more two-dimensional figure than we might like.

At some moments, the energy of the film sags or feels rushed, such at low points for the tunnelers in their months-long work, The director raise the issue of class conflict but then does not do much to explore it. The conflict between the officers could be better developed, and the nature of competing interests is a bit confusing at some points. But the film overcomes these shortfalls, and picks up tension and energy as it drives towards its impressive conclusion. Although it did not end that intractable war, it was an impressive show of can-do from an underestimated group of skilled men.

Despite a few stumbles, this is a worthy and entertaining war drama, emotionally satisfying and a fascinating bit of history, about some scrappy civilians who did what the regular troops couldn’t. It is a nice addition to the growing list of dramas about the Great War, one of the most brutal but historically pivotal of human conflicts.

THE WAR BELOW opened in virtual cinemas on Oct, 1 and releases on-demand on Nov. 11 on Amazon, Apple, Google, Vimeo, and Vudu.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars