Welcome back to Movie Recap. Today I'm gonna show you a 2011 war film called,
War Horse. Spoiler’s ahead. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the video.
The movie begins with a young boy watching a horse give birth. Albert, now in his teenage years,
approaches the horse and tries to feed it, but fails as it runs back to its mother.
Then, we see the two horses being taken into an auction.
Ted Narracott, father of Albert and a farmer is amazed upon seeing the colt’s beauty.
The auction starts and his friends remind him that he needs a more solid horse for
him to plow his land and use for farming, but he still bids for the colt. Then, his landlord,
Mr. Lyons, bids on it as well. Triggered, Ted bids again and again until he gets the colt.
At the end of the auction, his landlord talks to him, also reminding him of their rent.
At home, Rosie, his wife, and Albert see him with the colt.
Rosie is disappointed in Ted because it’s not what they need to help them in farming.
On the other hand, Albert is happy that they already own the colt. He,
then, promises his mother that he will train it. Afterward, we see Albert struggling to feed the
colt. But as he slowly and calmly approaches it while talking, he successfully gets its trust. He,
then, named the colt “Joey”. With his best friend Andrew, Albert trains Joey everyday to respond
and come to him when he whistles an owl’s sound. Afterward, we see the landlord collecting the
rent payment from the Narracott’s but they’re short. But Mr. Lyons wants his complete payment.
Ted assures him that he’ll get his money once they plow the land and get the planting started.
He, then, gives them a due, if they’re able to plow their land, he’ll give them an extension.
Desperate, Ted gets to the barn and tries to put the collar on Joey, but he struggles.
Joey accidentally pushes off Ted and Albert quickly calms Joey down. Angry, Ted grabs his gun
and points it to Joey, but Albert steps in front of him. He, then, promises his father that he’ll
teach Joey how to plow their land. The tension goes down and the family goes back to their house.
The scene changes to Albert talking to Joey. Albert successfully puts on the collar to him
after gaining Joey’s trust. Then, he proceeds to teach Joey how to plow while Ted is watching them.
Mr. Lyons, along with his men, arrives and watches Albert. He talks to Ted and mocks
him for buying Joey instead of a proper farming horse. After applying the equipment, Joey isn’t
moving. Albert grabs the whip and hits the ground. This scares Joey and he runs, dragging Albert.
Many people arrive and watch Albert and Joey. Albert is encouraging Joey with his words,
but Joey collapses. Then, the rain starts pouring. Mr. Lyons tells Ted that it’s over and leaves.
But Albert notices something from the ground and tells Joey to continue. Joey finally manages
to plow the land, and the people cheer for them. Even Mr. Lyons is surprised.
Rosie gets out of the house and watches her son fulfilling his promise. In the barn,
while attending to Albert, Rosie explains to him why Ted is limping.
Ted doesn’t limp because he’s drunk, but rather, he had a leg injury. It turns out that Ted was
a soldier before. Rosie shows Albert Ted’s medals and a campaign pennant. Rosie also explains to his
son that Ted never gave up on them, and there are different ways of being brave. Then, Albert keeps
the pennant while Ted is seen planting outside. The scene changes to Albert riding Joey. They
come across Mr. Lyons’ son, David Lyons driving a car while boasting to a woman how rich he is.
The two races to which Albert and Joey won. But Joey suddenly stops because he doesn’t know how
to jump yet, sending Albert flying. Then, we see the two going home and a storm is coming. The next
day, all of their crops are damaged, making them unable to pay the rest of their rent to Mr. Lyons.
Afterward, a man informs everyone in the town that a war with Germany is happening.
Then, we see Albert running to the barn, only to find out that Joey isn’t there. Asking Rosie where
his father and Joey are, Albert quickly runs to the town. There, Ted already sells Joey to Captain
James Nicholls. Albert tries to beg the Captain, but it’s too late. He, then, tried to volunteer
and enlist himself in the army, but Captain James declines because he’s still underage.
Touched with Albert’s connection to Joey, Captain James promises him that he will take care of Joey.
Before letting go, Albert ties Ted’s pennant to Joey and promises to find him soon.
At the camp, Joey is brought to other horses next to a black stallion named Topthorn.
It turns out that Topthorn is Major Jamie Stewart’s horse.
Major Stewart, then, orders Sergeant Perkins to prepare all the horses.
Afterward, we see the soldiers ride their horses. With the signal, they all charge,
running for a race. Captain James with Joey and Major Stewart with Topthorn are leading,
but the Captain and Joey won in the end. Then, we see Captain James drawing a picture of Joey.
He plans on sending Albert a letter with Joey’s picture to know Joey’s situation in the camp.
The scene changes to the English soldiers strategizing their attack on the enemies. The next
day, while preparing for battle, Captain James put the pennant back to Joey. Then, we see them charge
at the enemy. Surprising the enemies with an attack first thing in the morning, they, manage to
kill several German soldiers. Others run to where they hide the backlines soldiers and machine guns.
Upon reaching the machine guns, the German soldiers fight and shoot back at them.
Killing Captain James and many of his men. Fortunately, Joey survives,
but he is captured along with other soldiers and horses. Major Stewart tries to flee but he’s also
captured along with Topthorn. Topthorn sees Joey and runs to him. A young German soldier named
Gunther sees the horses and suggests that they use them to transport their injured comrades.
Meanwhile, Albert receives a parcel that contains Captain James’ sketchbook. He’s
so happy to see the drawings of Joey, but upon learning the Captain’s death while riding Joey,
his happiness turns into worrying for his friend. Going back to the German’s camp, they received a
marching order because enemies are pushing the line. Gunther is told to stay with the horses,
providing a fast response if needed. He tries to convince their Captain that his younger brother,
Michael, should stay with him, but he declines. The two brothers talk in their barracks.
It turns out that Michael, indeed, wants to go. But Gunther promises their mother that he will
keep his brother safe at all times. Assuring that he will be fine, Michael head out to the line.
Gunther runs after his brother and gives the pennant that he gets from Joey to Michael.
As the soldiers march their way, Gunther prepares Joey and Topthorn,
then goes and follows the marching soldiers. Using the pennant as marking, Gunther grabs
his brother and the two flee using the two horses. The two hide in a windmill, along with the horses.
Gunther and Michael talk about their family and joke around for a while before resting. Later on,
the sound of vehicles wakes the horses up. The two brothers try to hide,
but they’re still found by their superiors. Asking their reason for deserting the army,
Gunther and Michael are executed. Fortunately, the soldiers didn’t see the two horses.
Morning comes, Joey and Topthorn are found by a young woman named Emilie. At her home,
she and her grandfather, Bonnard, hear the explosion nearby. Talking about what happens
to her parents, Emilie bargains to tell Bonnard about the horses if he tells her the truth. She,
then, introduces the horses to Bonnard. She also named Joey as Francois, and Topthorn as Claude.
Emilie is sick that’s why Bonnard tells her that she can’t ride them, but she is persistent.
Afterward, we see Emilie teaching Joey how to jump. By giving him an example,
Emilie jumps to a lower skip, but Joey just follows her. Bonnard just laughs as he watches
his granddaughter determined to teach Joey. She also tries to ride Joey but Bonnard stops her.
Then, they hear vehicles coming. Bonnard orders Emilie to hide the horses and greets
the soldiers. The soldiers hoard all their crops and the jam he makes for a living,
saying that they must share food with the soldiers at war. Asking about livestock,
Bonnard lies about having one. But the soldiers hear something from the attic. Fortunately,
Bonnard lies his way out until the soldiers leave. Night falls, the battlefield is getting nearer
and Emilie watches as the explosions light up the surrounding. She, then, asks about
her parents again. Bonnard, then, tells her about the war pigeons, the bravest of them all. He also
tells her that there are different ways of being brave. Just like what Rosie told Albert earlier.
The next day, Bonnard gifts Emilie a saddle for her birthday. He finally lets her ride Joey,
but with the condition of not going too far. Before going, Emilie gives him the pennant. When
Emilie and Joey go far enough, Bonnard calls on them, but there is no response. Topthorn suddenly
runs in the direction they went and Bonnard quickly follows. He, then, see his daughter and
Joey surrounded by German soldiers. Begging them not to hurt Emilie, he hugs his granddaughter.
The soldiers take the two horses, leaving Emilie crying in his grandfather’s chest.
The scene changes to the German’s camp where Joey and Topthorn are given to the custody of
Private Heiglemann. There, the horses are used to pull heavy artilleries for the soldiers.
Leaving the horses exhausted to die. While pulling up a cannon to the highland,
a horse collapses. The Captain quickly shoots it and asked for a replacement and he picks Topthorn.
Private Heiglemann begs him to choose another one because Topthorn’s leg is in bad condition,
but the Captain is persistent. Then, Joey quickly runs to them. Showing how strong he is,
the Captain agrees to use him instead of Topthorn. After successfully pulling the cannon to the top,
Private Heiglemann takes Joey, as the soldiers load up a cannon and fire at the battlefield.
Meanwhile, the English soldiers are watching as the explosions light up
the night sky while hiding in their trench, and one of them is Albert.
The year is 1918, Albert, Andrew, and David have enlisted in the war.
Albert and David are still not on good terms with one another, and David mocks Albert
for continuously owl whistling. Afterward, the soldiers prepare themselves to charge.
One of their superiors, then, orders Andrew to stay in the trench and shoot whoever’s running
back away. After assuring Andrew that no one’s retreating, Albert, along with other soldiers,
charges to the enemies. Many soldiers die as the battle continues. Albert manages to save
David who’s shot and put him in a safe place. Andrew, on the other hand, didn’t
shoot the soldiers that run back to the trench. Instead, he charges in the battlefield, himself.
Back to Albert, he manages to take down an enemy with a machine gun,
enabling them to move forward. They successfully reach the enemy’s trenches where Andrew finds him.
Albert sees a way out and calls Andrew, but a soldier warns them about gas. As if on cue,
a gas bomb explodes, killing Andrew as he looks for his best friend for the last time.
The scene changes back to Heiglemann and the two horses. He takes the two to the side where
Topthorn collapses. Heiglemann begs for him to hold on, but Topthorn dies in exhaustion. Then,
he sees his comrades retreating. He shouts at Joey to run as he is being taken away by his comrades.
But Joey isn’t leaving Topthorn’s side. But a tank comes his way. With no choice, Joey jumps over the
tank and runs continuously to the battlefield where he’s caught by barbed wires, injuring him.
One English soldier named Colin notices Joey from afar. He tries to call for him,
but he doesn’t respond. Other soldiers try calling and whistling but still fail. Colin, then,
raises a white flag and walks over to Joey. Enemy soldiers fire a warning shot but he tells them he
only wants to help Joey. Seeing Joey’s situation up close, Colin knew it won’t be easy helping him.
Fortunately, a German soldier brings a wire cutter. The two, then, help each other in helping
Joey. Talking and joking around like there not in war. The two enemy soldiers form an unlikely
friendship because of a horse. After removing all the barbed wires, they call Joey a “War Horse”.
Peter, the German soldier wants to take Joey on their side, but Colin plans to do it, as well.
In the end, they decided to play toss coin, to which Colin wins and bring Joey to his side.
Before parting way, Peter gives the wire cutter to Colin as a remembrance.
The scene changes to David being taken where Albert is. Fortunately, he survives the gas bomb,
but it blinded him for a while. They are taken into the infirmary where soldiers are being
treated. Not knowing that Joey walks behind him, Colin takes Joey to the same infirmary as well.
He asks the doctor to treat Joey’s wounds but he said he might not make it because of tetanus.
The doctor, then, asks a sergeant to take down Joey, mercy killing him.
Albert notices the commotion where Joey is and asks a man about it. Upon knowing that it’s about
a miraculous horse, only one horse came to his mind. Meanwhile, Joey is about to be taken down
when they hear an owl whistle. Joey responds and looks for it, but can’t find where it came from.
Until everybody gives way to Albert, blindly walking to the crowd while doing an owl whistle.
Then, Joey walks to him, and the two friends are finally reunited.
The doctor tells Albert that it’s just a random horse, to which Albert responds that he’s not.
He, then, describes Joey perfectly. But because of the mud, Joey looks like an all-black horse.
Colin, then washes over his feet, revealing the white socks, and the doctor, himself,
cleans Joey’s face, revealing his mark, just like what Albert describes.
He, then, tells Albert that he will treat Joey like the soldier he is.
The scene changes to the soldiers receiving an announcement that the war finally ends,
then a bell rings, signaling the end of their struggle. However,
Albert won’t be able to take home Joey because they are ordered to auction all the horses.
A sergeant tries to defend Albert and Joey but they can’t do anything about the order.
Afterward, when Albert is taking Joey out, he’s surprised to see his comrades waiting outside.
They all contribute so that Albert will be able to buy Joey back.
At the auction, Albert, with the help of the Sergeant do everything to buy Joey,
but Bonnard appears and bids way higher than anyone could afford.
At the end of the auction, Albert tries to talk to him, but he’s determined to take home Joey.
It turns out that Emilie died and Joey is all that’s left for Emilie. As Bonnard is taking Joey,
he runs back to Albert. Albert assures him that it will be okay, and gives him back to Bonnard.
Bonnard realizes that Emilie would want Joey, known to her as Francois,
to be back to its real owner. That’s why he gives Joey back to Albert, along with the pennant.
Before leaving, Albert asks for Emilie’s name, to which Bonnard answers with a smile. The movie ends
with Albert and Joey coming home to Ted and Rosie, then the family hugs as Joey watches over them.