'Best war film since Saving Private Ryan' shot in one continuous sequence is now on Netflix

As the weekend draws near you're probably looking for a movie to occupy your time, and there's a perfect one on Netflix.

You could go to an actual cinema and watch something new there, but I think you're probably going to stick the telly on and have a browse around for something to watch from the comfort of your sofa.

If that's the case then you might do well to hop onto Netflix and check out one of the most stunning war films of all time, with pretty much non-stop action.

We say that because watching the movie gives you one continuous sequence which doesn't cut away elsewhere, there's nothing else going on besides what you see before you.

The film is 1917, and follows the journey of soldiers Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean Charles-Chapman) as they are tasked with making a hellish journey to call off a doomed attack where hundreds of men would be marching into a trap.

So much of the film is one continuous take, with just a few little cuts cleverly disguised. (Universal)

Now if we're being entirely honest the movie isn't actually all one continuous shot, even if it looks to be when you watch it.

That's because as clever as it is to have pulled off such an achievement, it'd be damn near impossible to expect the entire war movie to be done in one continuous take.

Some movies actually are done like this, like the film Boiling Point which was genuinely done as one continuous take, though they did act out that take several times to get it right.

If you ignore all the drama and action of the First World War which the movie is trying to get you to engage with then you might be able to spot where 1917 conceals cutting between takes.

However, that would be wrecking the fun a little bit and to have so many long sequences where the camera stays on is still a testament to how much of a challenge it was to make the movie.

Practical effects, a gripping war story and dramatic visuals. What more could you want? (Universal)

Instead of trying to pick out where director Sam Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins took their takes from, it's better just to go with what ended up being one of the best war films of all time.

As the title suggests, what you're seeing happens well before the end of the First World War and this story isn't about achieving some great victory or striking a decisive blow that'll bring about an end to the conflict.

Instead it's just about sparing a few hundred souls from the hellish meat grinder.

It might sound a little bleak but the film is critically acclaimed and 1917's appearance of being in one continuous take was described by one reviewer as a 'mind-boggling technical achievement'.

If you haven't seen it yet, it's right there on Netflix to stream now.