Hacksaw Ridge tells the story of Desmond Doss (played by Garfield), the first conscientious objector in U.S. history to receive the Medal of Honor. As a member of the 307th Infantry, 77th Army Division, 1st Battalion, Company B, his journey begins at base camp. The battalion is set to deploy to Japan, but first they must be trained for combat.
Throughout camp, Doss’ beliefs and refusal to kill the enemy contradict his training. Sgt. Howell (Vaughn) is in charge of getting the men ready for war, so Doss’ beliefs and refusal to kill throw him for a loop. Vaughn’s character is described as pushing his soldiers to their emotional and physical limits, yet it’s all in the name of trying to make sure they survive.
Vaughn is better known for his comedies than his dramas, but he does switch things up. In addition to his role on HBO’s True Blood, the actor starred in Unfinished Business, a comedy released in March, and Term Life, a crime thriller due out later this year. Hacksaw Ridge will add still more variety to his credits.
The historical film is set to be filmed in Australia. It will be produced by Bill Mechanic and David Permut, and Terry Benedict and Steve Longi will serve as co-producers. Randall Wallace, who worked with Gibson on Braveheart, co-wrote the script with Robert Schenkkan.
A release date for Hacksaw Ridge has yet to be announced.
