ABASOLA, HANNA MAE V.

HACKSAW RIDGE
Directed By; Mel Gibson

Cast
Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss
Sam Worthington as Captain Jack Glover
Luke Bracey as 'Smitty' Ryker
Hugo Weaving as Tom Doss, Desmond's father
Teresa Palmer as Dorothy Schutte, Desmond's wife
Rachel Griffiths as Bertha Doss, Desmond's mother
Vince Vaughn as Sergeant Howell
Ryan Corr as Lieutenant Manville
Richard Roxburgh as Colonel Stelzer
Luke Pegler as Milt 'Hollywood' Zane
Richard Pyros as Randall 'Teach' Fuller
Ben Mingay as 'Grease' Nolan
Michael Sheasby as 'Tex' Lewis
Firass Dirani as Vito Rinnelli
Damien Thomlinson as Ralph Morgan
Matt Nable as Lieutenant Colonel Cooney
Ben O'Toole as Corporal Jessop
Nathaniel Buzolic as Harold 'Hal' Doss, Desmond's brother
Milo Gibson as 'Lucky' Ford

SUMMARY
In 1925 Lynchburg, Virginia, young Desmond Doss nearly kills his brother during roughhousing.
That event and his Seventh-day Adventist upbringing reinforce Desmond's belief in the
commandment "Thou shalt not kill." Fifteen years later, Doss takes an injured man to the
hospital and meets a nurse, Dorothy Schutte. They strike a romance, and Doss tells Dorothy of
his interest in medical work.
After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor bringing the United States into World War II, Doss
enlists in the United States Army to serve as a combat medic. His father, Tom, a First World
War veteran, is deeply upset by the decision. Before leaving for Fort Jackson, Desmond asks
for Dorothy's hand in marriage, and she accepts.
Doss is placed in basic training under the command of Sergeant Howell. He excels physically
but becomes a pariah among his fellow soldiers for refusing to handle a rifle and train on
Saturdays. Howell and Captain Glover attempt to discharge Doss for psychiatric reasons under
Section 8 but are overruled, as Doss's religious beliefs do not constitute mental illness. They
subsequently torment Doss by putting him through grueling labor, intending to get Doss to leave
of his own accord. Despite being beaten one night by his fellow soldiers, he mercifully refuses to
identify his attackers and continues training.
Doss's unit completes basic training and is released on leave during which Doss intends to
marry Dorothy, but his refusal to carry a firearm leads to an arrest for insubordination. Captain
Glover and Dorothy visit Doss in jail and try to convince him to plead guilty so that he can be
released without charge, but Doss refuses to compromise his beliefs. At his court-martial, Doss
pleads not guilty, but before he is sentenced, his father barges into the tribunal with a letter from
his former commanding officer (now a brigadier general) stating that his son's pacifism is
protected by the US Constitution. The charges against Doss are dropped, and he and Dorothy
are married.
Doss's unit is assigned to the 77th Infantry Division and deployed to the Pacific Theater. During
the Battle of Okinawa, Doss's unit is informed that it will relieve the 96th Infantry Division, which
was tasked with ascending and securing the Maeda Escarpment ("Hacksaw Ridge"). During the
initial fight, with heavy losses on both sides, Doss saves the life of his squadmate Smitty,
earning his respect. As the Americans camp for the night, Doss reveals to Smitty that his
aversion to holding a firearm stems from nearly shooting his drunken father, who threatened his
mother with a gun. Smitty apologizes for doubting his courage, and both reconcile.The next
morning, the Japanese launch a massive counterattack and drive the Americans off the
escarpment. Smitty is killed, and Howell and several of Doss's comrades are left injured on the
battlefield. Doss hears the cries of dying soldiers and returns to save them, carrying the
wounded to the cliff's edge and belaying them down by rope, each time praying to save one
more. The arrival of dozens of wounded who had been presumed dead comes as a shock to the
rest of the unit below. When day breaks, Doss rescues Howell, and both escape Hacksaw
under enemy fire.
Captain Glover apologizes for dismissing Doss's beliefs as "cowardice" and states that they are
scheduled to retake the ridge on Saturday but will not launch the next attack without him. Doss
agrees, but the operation is delayed until after he concludes his Sabbath prayers. With
reinforcements, they turn the tide of battle. In an ambush set by Japanese soldiers who pretend
to surrender, Doss manages to save Glover and others by deflecting enemy grenades. Doss is
wounded by a grenade blast, but the battle is won. Doss is lowered from the cliff clutching the
Bible that Dorothy had given to him.
The film switches to real photos and footage showing that Doss was awarded the Medal of
Honor by President Harry S. Truman for rescuing75 soldiers at Hacksaw Ridge, as well as real
life footage of Doss just before his death, recounting his experiences during the war. Doss
stayed married to Dorothy until her death in 1991. He died on March 23, 2006, at the age of 87.

WHAT IS THE ETHICAL ISSUE IN THE MOVIE?

- The Ethical issue of this movie is that "Hacksaw Ridge” uses the moral dilemma of its hero Pfc.
Desmond T. Doss is sometimes tempted to forsake his vows and pick up a rifle in the heat of
battle as a pretext for its own ethical sleight of hand. Doss arrived at his pacifism through
religious conviction. It was an ethical precept he arrived at by religious devotion and piety, which
means his pacifism was not something arbitrarily considered. Throughout the movie, the
tattered Bible he carried with him everywhere he went symbolized the solemnity of his beliefs.
MORAL LESSON
You might initially have trouble gaining acceptance, but in the end, you will be respected and
admired for your courage and conviction. Have strong values, they help you stay anchored
during many trials and tribulations. Be empathetic, when you contribute to others' lives you feel
loved and wanted.