Ok Gents...I think I'm the first member of the GWHS to see the movie so here goes. I just saw a sneak preview of it this evening. I Rate it a solid B-. Its the best WWI flick I have seen in years minus the cheesy horsy stuff. This is not a Saving Private Ryan type film. You won't see much gore or the true reality of what metal does to the human body. I think Speilburg was trying to keep it PG13. With that said... go see it, you won't be disappointed.
Overall authenticity and accuracy was good but not great. If you don't want to spoil the movie for yourself
DO NOT READ FURTHERFor those of you interested in the nitty gritty details....
There were some authenticity issues. Mind you I'm a German so anything else is beyond my knowledge base. I can say that they used Extras and not reenactors.
First Battle Scene:1) 1914 Brit Cavalry attacks a German camp in which the Germans have no guards/pickets or any defense whatsoever.
There was also not a single zeltbahn (tent half) seen anywhere. I can't identify most of the tentage.
The Germans then man MG08s that were pointed into their camp to repeal the Brits. Very odd to say the least- to have your own guns pointing into your own camp?
The MGs were also located about 4 feet apart and used special bullets that hit only riders and not horses.
Germans had some Black Jack boots (should be brown) and German Pickelhaube chin straps over the covers (should be under or under the chin). The germans marched in columns of 2 not 3.
2) They all needed HAIRCUTS all the way around.
3) Germans are portrayed in typical Speilburg Naziish style shooting deserters without trial, pillaging the countryside etc.
4) Four years pass in about what seems like 2 days (poor editing).
5) LARGE Artillery does not recoil nor do they aim the guns.
6) Germans flee as a Brit tank roles through the rear German lines with no Brit support. (how it gets there is not explained). Where are the Strosstruppen climbing all over it and why the hell are the Germans running from a device that has no support and no machine gun?
Big Trench scene battle: 1) how do wood stumps in no man's land burn when everything is mud and its been that way for 4 years???
2) Why are many of the brits wearing chest armor plates? - I want one ;D
3) Brits go over the top with a bag piper playing but they aren't scottish troops!! Why do they have a piper?
4) WAY to many camo helmets on the Germans
5) How does Gas sudden explode from the sides of a trench?
6) When they cut the horse out of the barbwire, the brit is using WW2 American Wire cutters.
7) Trenches are only in straight lines
OK...getting off my soap box now..
Dan
IR23 Unteroff.
Authenticity Officer
GWHS Member at Large
There was also not a single zeltbahn (tent half) seen anywhere. I can't identify most of the tentage. 
The Germans then man MG08s that were pointed into their camp to repeal the Brits. Very odd to say the least- to have your own guns pointing into your own camp? 
The MGs were also located about 4 feet apart and used special bullets that hit only riders and not horses. 
Germans had some Black Jack boots (should be brown) and German Pickelhaube chin straps over the covers (should be under or under the chin). The germans marched in columns of 2 not 3.
