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A young Australian boy, Jim Collins (Levi Miller) grew up on a sheep station in the outback, and finds himself torn during the Great War as his friends begin to sign up for military service. Although Jim's family needs his assistance on the station, he cannot turn his back on mateship or sit idly by while others fight overseas, and he eventually decides to enlist. On the mud-drenched battlefields of France, Jim joins the likes of Thomas (Travis Jeffery), Don (Ed Oxenbould), and Ned (Jordan Dulieu), but they are soon faced with the harsh realities of war.
Russell's screenplay structures Before Dawn as an episodic, plotless collection of vignettes portraying an array of wartime experiences, from innocuous conversations, card games and meal breaks to aimless minor conflicts and close calls with enemy sharpshooters. Title cards inform us of the elapsed time, with the movie chronicling events throughout the war, concluding on Armistice Day in 1918. The intentions are noble, with Prince-Wright depicting the monotony of everyday life in the trenches, but the movie struggles to maintain interest throughout its relatively brisk 100-minute running time. Without compelling characterisations, meaty drama or witty dialogue, Before Dawn only succeeds in fits and starts, and, unfortunately, it's difficult to genuinely care about the characters as they only feature surface-level attributes. Brief flashbacks to life before the war in the Australian outback feel mostly perfunctory and do not achieve much in developing the characters or their relationships, with the soldiers still coming across as generic. Prince-Wright should have dedicated screen time to basic training instead.
Unfortunately, despite a competent performance, Levi Miller lacks the presence to be a memorable leading man, while the ensemble cast of mostly unknowns does not make much of an impression. Especially when compared to 1981's Gallipoli or the 1985 miniseries Anzacs (which had the iconic Paul Hogan), the lack of personality in Before Dawn's characters sticks out all the more. The only cast member with genuine gravitas is Myles Pollard as Sgt Beaufort, though some of his antics are somewhat cartoonish. (For example, he openly chastises soldiers for wanting to help a wounded man.) Furthermore, there are no character arcs here, as the soldiers do not meaningfully change or learn lessons through their experiences. Sure, the soldiers do seem more weary towards the war's end, but this does not generate gripping dramatic interest. Plus, for the most part, the dialogue sounds generic, though some of the voiceover narration is suitably poetic.
With a reported budget around the $10 million mark, Before Dawn looks visually impressive, with Prince-Wright and the crew convincingly transforming rural Western Australian locations into European battlefields. Cinematographer Daniel Quinn slickly captures the action, giving the visuals a genuine sense of gravitas and ensuring this does not feel like a cheap, direct-to-video production. (Although 35mm photography, like 2010's excellent Beneath Hill 60, would have been more appropriate for a production like this.) Before Dawn also carries impressive attention to detail in the costumes and props, with the soldiers wearing filthy, mud-covered ANZAC uniforms, enhancing the production's overall sense of authenticity. Additionally, the sound design is awe-inspiring and state-of-the-art, allowing viewers to viscerally experience trench warfare through the constant din of gunfire and explosions, while Sean Tinnion's original score adds another layer of technical proficiency. The presentation is first-rate, with Prince-Wright going to great pains to allow audiences to feel like they have been taken back in time, making the most of the picture's limited scope.
Before Dawn climaxes with an impressive battle sequence that portrays the ANZACs assaulting a German trench, and the resulting set piece is both enthralling and exciting, representing one of the picture's true highlights. Prince-Wright also gets ample mileage from depicting the horrors of trench warfare, with rats and corpses becoming a part of everyday life, making this an edifying sit for high school students who are interested in history and the ANZACs. (The filmmakers deliberately delayed the movie for 7-8 months after completion to release it closer to ANZAC Day.) It's nothing new, but it is effective nevertheless. With a stronger dramatic core, Before Dawn could have become a new anti-war classic in a similar vein to 1981's Gallipoli. As it is, it's worthwhile but inessential viewing.
6.2/10
