Young Washington Wins Battle Scenes in 125-Minute Drama as Review Faults Flat Hero
Updated
Updated · thefilmverdict.com · Jul 1
Young Washington Wins Battle Scenes in 125-Minute Drama as Review Faults Flat Hero
3 articles · Updated · thefilmverdict.com · Jul 1
Summary
Jon Erwin’s 125-minute Young Washington earns a mixed review, praised for competent craft and vivid battle staging but undercut by a thin, overly symbolic portrait of George Washington.
William Franklyn-Miller’s lead performance is judged too blank to carry the arc from family hardship to military failure at Fort Necessity and redemption at Fort Duquesne.
Kelsey Grammer, Ben Kingsley and Mary-Louise Parker make stronger impressions in brief roles, while the film otherwise keeps its faith-based messaging relatively light aside from a divine-protection scene.
The review says the film’s sharpest filmmaking comes in combat sequences, where Kristopher Kimlin’s photography and David de Vos’ editing capture both battlefield chaos and period tactics.
Closing credits draw the harshest criticism: Grammer’s appeal to “pay it forward” is framed as helping Angel boost box-office totals through prepaid tickets that can leave “sold out” screenings sparsely attended.