Reviews

I can't review this without spoilers except to say that it's a great work of art. As out there as it gets, it stays grounded throughout. Flights of fancy as in prior episodes (e.g., dance sequences, animation sequences for backstory exposition, etc.) are one thing, but it's hard to maintain urgency without restoring to formula. Every shot and every cut in this episode is bespoke. It's some of the best writing, directing, and editing I've ever seen, and Aubrey Plaza's performance is off the charts.

The plot is quite similar to Paths of Glory, but the telling is different. A short and effective statement on the brutality and senselessness of war, the inhuman treatment of soldiers, the callousness of commanders, and the ignorance of the time (which persists today), it does not spend time on melodrama or heroism as Paths of Glory did. It begins with an exposition set in Ireland to establish the character and humanity of its protagonist, the soldier whose life is on the line. This is dramatically different than the narrative created by using a more traditional "leading man" type protagonist like the one played by Kirk Douglas in Paths, and the film is more focused as a result.

The dispassionate presentation of the final scene and its lack of any scene to serve as epilogue reminded me more of Breaker Morant than Paths of Glory. But despite any similarities this film stands on its own two feet.

I highly recommend watching this short film. It's a great way to spend 30 minutes and it's posted on YouTube to watch for free, so if you're considering checking it out you really might as well.