'Astonishing' WWI film leaves viewers 'totally enthralled' as it shares untold story

A WWI epic is set to land on BBC iPlayer imminently and stands as essential viewing for cinema enthusiasts, after fans have enjoyed a "heartbreaking" WWII film, reports the Daily Record.

The picture debuted in 2011 and secured multiple Oscar nominations.

Countless viewers have lauded the production on IMDb, with one contributor sharing a perfect 10/10 critique headlined: "A Stunning and Enthralling Epic."

They elaborated: "The film is uncompromisingly sentimental, and I wasn't annoyed by it. Because it worked so well, it made me care about the story, the characters, the horses."

They continued: "There are a lot of powerful scenes in the movie, from which I cried. It was just so moving, it showed the true consequences of war. Some of the battle sequences were simply fantastic and astonishing."

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Another glowing assessment bore the title: "A truly exceptional film about courage in both man and beast."

The reviewer observed: "This is a wonderful "against all odds" inspirational story about courage and relationships. A horse of truly amazing spirit touches the lives of so many during War I - including British soldiers, German soldiers, French civilians and even other horses."

A third viewer described the blockbuster as "simply delightful" and remarked: "I went to see this movie expecting NOT to like it. But, for 2 hours and 15 mins I was totally enthralled."

A glowing review highlighted: "I was expecting this movie to be just another extravagant sentimental potboiler. Wow, was I surprised. This is a great movie. The title says the movie is about a horse, but it's really about a lot more than that. The horse plays a central role but the humans figure in the story too, in a big way."

Helmed by the iconic Steven Spielberg, War Horse is a cinematic adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's 1982 novel and its acclaimed 2007 stage adaptation.

The plot centres on young Albert Narracott (portrayed by Jeremy Irvine), who develops an intense connection with a horse named Joey, purchased at auction by his father.

With the outbreak of World War I, Joey is conscripted into the cavalry, thrusting him into the war's frontlines.

The film traces Joey's odyssey across the battlefields, offering a stark glimpse into the war's brutality from multiple perspectives.

Albert, initially too youthful for military service, later enlists as a soldier to seek out Joey upon reaching enlistment age.

Boasting a stellar ensemble cast featuring Emily Watson of Chernobyl fame, Benedict Cumberbatch known for Sherlock and Doctor Strange, Harry Potter's David Thewlis, Peter Mullan of Outlander: Blood of My Blood, Tom Hiddleston from The Night Manager, Toby Kebbell of BlackMirror, Robert Emms from Atlantis, and Eddie Marsan from Ray Donovan, War Horse stands as a must-watch spectacle.

War Horse features Outlander: Blood of My Blood star Irvine, who portrays time traveller and WWI veteran Henry Beauchamp in the fresh Starz series.

The Spielberg blockbuster served as the actor's first foray into feature films at the tender age of 21, having been handpicked from hundreds of hopefuls by the renowned Hollywood director.

The Outlander prequel series made its debut last week, and fans can catch a glimpse of the star back in the trenches in the first two episodes of Blood of My Blood.

War Horse is streaming on BBC iPlayer from 1.45pm today