It's Friday, February 18th. It has been 189 days since Jim (Levi Miller) and the other ANZACs left home. Despite the constant rain and long walks, they struggle to find rest. The story is told with flashbacks, revealing that in 1916, Jim was working with his family in the Western Australian outback, shearing sheep. However, he feels that he should be doing something more meaningful than just looking after sheep. Jim believes he's old enough to go to war and could make a valuable contribution on the battlefield. He also has the support and encouragement of close friends. Despite Jim's attempts to persuade his father and his promise to return home after six months, his father disagrees with him when he shares his desire to depart for war. Nonetheless, Jim leaves his family farm and enlists in the military. Once on the battlefield, Jim faces many challenges and experiences that he hopes will help him serve his country and eventually return home to his family once again. "Before Dawn" is a movie based on real-life events documented in diary entries by World War I ANZACs. The film is directed by Jordon Prince-Wright, who has experience making films set in the Australian outback. The director's main goal was to provide a realistic portrayal of the events while also bringing attention to some untold stories from Australian history. The film has a lot of enjoyable aspects, but minor issues prevent it from being more remarkable and memorable. The performances are generally satisfactory, but it's no surprise that Levi Miller, who plays Jim, steals the show with his outstanding performance and strong emotion. On the other hand, many of the supporting performances are disappointing, and the film's script falls short. Even during crucial moments, the dialogue sounds stilted, as if the actors are reading lines directly off a script page for the first time. I found several appealing visual aspects in the film. The costumes and makeup designs are impressive, and this department works beautifully. The action elements, including sound and large explosions, especially in the film’s finale, add a nice touch of realism and drama. However, the atmosphere at various times is questionable. For example, when you see men in a ditch fighting to survive, it’s challenging to be deeply invested in the characters, given the lack of atmosphere around them. I have mixed feelings about this dramatic war film. While there are some heartwarming moments and excellent acting delivered mainly by the lead actor, Levi Miller, the side performances are questionable, and the dialogue delivery often seems wooden and clunky. Unfortunately, the movie’s first half is slow, and the music score does not fit well with the story. However, the film does end strongly and powerfully. The costume designs, and on-screen explosion effects are impressive and great to experience on the big screen. "Before Dawn" has some excellent elements but misses opportunities. * This review has been written for Sanity. For more reviews from Walkden Entertainment, check out the link here: www.walkdenentertainment.com