The World War I film is a technical astonishment but keeps the audience at an emotional distance. | ★★★ out of 4 stars

Relentless and surreal, “1917” tries to capture the chaos of being at war.

The Golden Globe winner’s story is quite simple: Two boyish Brits, Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), are ordered to leave their World War I trench, run through enemy territory and deliver a message to another battalion that is about to launch an offensive against the Germans,