A “masterful” war film directed by Mel Gibson and rated higher than Dunkirk is now streaming on Amazon Prime. The heartwrenching 2016 film follows Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss, one of America’s “greatest heroes” who managed to save lives in one of the bloodiest battles in WWII, without ever firing a gun. 

Based on a true story, Hacksaw Ridge follows Doss’ extraordinary tale as he pulls himself away from his love, Dorothy, to voluntarily enlist in the US Army. While he believes in serving his country, he holds a deep-seated religious belief in the sixth commandment: thou shalt not kill.

The American enlists as a combat medic so he can help protect his country while avoiding having to shoot, but the reality of training camp is much different.

His refusal to bear arms during training leads to bitter tension and ostracisation by his comrades and superiors, including Sergeant Howell, played by Vince Vaughn.

However, his bravery shines through when he single-handedly rescues 75 men without firing a shot during the brutal Battle of Okinawa, leading to him being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

As an army medic, he evacuates the wounded from behind enemy lines, braves fire while tending to soldiers and gets wounded by a grenade and hit by snipers.

Mel Gibson’s portrayal of the story scored higher than the war film epic Dunkirk on Rotten Tomatoes, earning a 92% Popcorn Rating from more than 50,000 viewers, compared to 81%.

On a Reddit thread, fans were torn between this film and Dunkirk, with one writing: “Hacksaw Ridge by a long shot. Garfield and Weaving give amazing performances. The battle sequences towards the end were amazing.”

However, a second quipped: “Dunkirk, and it’s not even close.”

Rotten Tomatoes reviewers praised the director for managing to keep the story intriguing when everyone knows the ending.

One viewer enthused: “The cinematography, editing, and sound pack a surprising amount of suspense, no small feat considering audiences know the outcome.” A second added: “Hacksaw Ridge is masterful filmmaking!”

However, some highlighted that for a film about avoiding guns, the scenes were particularly violent and may not be suitable for all viewers.

One reviewer said: “Hacksaw Ridge is certainly not for everybody, but I found it absolutely captivating, thought provoking, sometimes morally off kilter, but never compromised. If you can stomach the gore, you’re in for one jaw-dropping experience.”

Desmond Doss stayed married to Dorothy until she died in 1991. He died 15 years later in 2006, at the age of 87.