When I first heard about the world famous and legendary director Steven Spielberg, had transformed Michael Morpurgo’s classic book, War House into a major motion-picture, I had very high expectations. And to be completely honest, it has exceeded and raised the bar to an impossible height. The movie is a perfect contrast between the original tear-jerking story-line of the book with Spielberg’s interpretations of it and with extra little details which complete the film.

The story-line portrays the life of Joey, the ‘red-bay’ thoroughbred horse, and Albert, the young out-going farm boy from Devon, England. When Albert’s drunken father buys the young colt for a lot more money than he can afford, he leaves Albert to train and put young Joey to work and earn the money to pay for the farm.

After showing his father and the whole village what Albert and Joey can do when working together, they are still low on money and the father has no other choice but to sell Joey to the Army for the starting war. Heartbroken Albert vows to find Joey when he’s old enough to join as a soldier and bring him back home. And from there begins the twisting journey of new owners, new places, the front line of ww1 and a new loyalty to fellow friend Topthorn; a strong horse who gave Joey the strength to brave on, in the harsh moments and vice-versa.

I would like to tell you everyone comes home safe, sound and alive but you should go see it for yourself as my words cannot do it justice.

The reality of this film is based on a situation that was actually happening at the time of the World War 1. British horses were being sold cheap to be cavalry horses in the centre of the war. It was a disturbing disaster on the British side as the horses were no match for the German machine guns, bombs and gas. It was rare if a horse survived, and if they did, they were put to work pulling guns and ambulance carts on the front line. Starved of fresh water and food and uncared for, the weak horses were shot where they stood or weren’t taken back to England but sold, mostly for more work or the butchers. And all of the emotion and feeling of this is shown perfectly during the film.  

“Spielberg has totally out done himself.” A member of public spoke to our reviewer after watching War Horse “And the evidence of this is in the tears; I am not a crier when it comes to films, but I was weeping like a baby. Not in a sad way, but devotion to the movie. It makes you feel what the characters feel and you gain a strong connection with them and this for me is a star quality. You know a movie has fulfilled its ambitions when there is a not a dry eye in the house. I totally recommend it for everyone.”

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