“1917” (*** out of four) was a reverently done WWI melodrama about two young British soldiers (George Mackay and Dean Charles-Chapman) who are given the near-suicidal mission of delivering a message deep behind enemy lines which will prevent 1,600 men from walking directly into a deadly trap but they face loads of opposition and exposition along the way. Director Sam Mendes shoots and edits this to appear in a single one-take and places you right there in the center of battle but film has a frustrating sense of detachment (which many of his films have had over the years) and doesn’t have an emotional center since you feel so distant from the main characters. Still worthwhile with many overall effective moments. Thomas Newman’s usual rich music score is a definite plus.