The story starts on a farm in Devon rented* by the Narracott family — father (Peter Mullan), mother (Emily Watson), and son Albert (Jeremy Irvine). The father buys a beautiful horse for three times its work value, and Albert likes it very much. He trains it and names it Joey.

    Their bond becomes as strong as is possible between a human and an animal. But at the beginning of the First World War, the British Army buys the horse, along with many others in the county. Albert promises Joey that they’ll find each other again one day — and finally joins the army to search for his friend.

    In four years during the war, the story is of Joey’s journey; from becoming the mount* for a brave English officer (Tom Hiddleston), to a German workhorse, to a gift from God for a dying little girl. He leads us to see the waste of war — and of all the soldiers, both young and old, who never should die.

    The film is genuine* in its emotion*, brave in its reality, effective in its performances, and imaginative in its storytelling.

    John Williams’ score and Janusz Kaminski’s cinematography* make it better. The battle sequences (two large ones in particular) easily rival* those in “Saving Private Ryan.”

    The first 20 minutes lack drama, but otherwise “War Horse” is as good a movie as we’ve ever seen from Steven Spielberg.

    Seeing something as brutal*, terrible and human as war through the eyes of a horse is an ambitious* form of storytelling, and Spielberg does a good job. The film has all the hallmarks* of the Spielberg we’ve missed so much: powerful, honest, and effective. (SD-Agencies)