An immensely popular trend that's popped up within the last decade or so is the "one-take movie". Most of the time, these are filmed and then edited to give the impression that all the action takes place without cuts. While the concept of a one-take movie isn't a brand new one, technology has likely made it easier in recent years to blend two different shots together, or otherwise disguise a cut well enough so that most viewers don't notice it.
However, some one-take movies out there genuinely are done in one take. These will often have simpler concepts, with less special effects, some improvised dialogue, and likely a smaller cast and crew to ensure filming can take place uninterrupted for however long the film is. Either way, crafting a film using one of these two methods is a technical marvel and should be commended.
Looks Like One Take: '1917' (2019)
Nominated for Best Picture and a host of technical awards at the 2020 Oscars, Sam Mendes' World War 1 film, 1917, tells a simple story of two young soldiers who need to inform a nearby battalion to hold off on advancing further, as they're about to charge into a trap. Time is of the essence, and the film follows the two main characters as they make a dangerous journey through No Man's Land on foot to deliver the message before it's too late.
Cuts are disguised by darkness obscuring vision, during times when the camera is fast in motion, or by focusing on a stationary object within a scene. Much of it is seamless though, and viewers who are wrapped up in the story might not notice most of the time. It does a great job at putting the audience in the shoes of the main characters, making for a suspenseful, immersive, and technically outstanding film about the harshness and brutality of the First World War.
Really Is One Take: 'Victoria' (2015)
Not only is the crime-thriller Victoria done in one take, but it's also 134 minutes long (not including credits), making the achievement even more impressive. Its story involves a young woman accidentally getting mixed up with a group of small-time criminals, and the consequences that unfold after a robbery goes wrong.
To make a one-take drama set in one location would be one thing, but the plot in Victoria demands the characters move around and get involved in tense, sometimes violent situations. Its ambition is remarkable, and some shortcomings (like the occasionally visible crew equipment or the way it becomes clear everything's happening on the same block) are mostly forgivable. The improvised dialogue and sometimes slow plot can mean it's not the snappiest or tightest crime film, but when it ensures a 2+ hour take unfolds on-screen with no cuts, the pacing also becomes forgivable.
Looks Like One Take: 'Birdman' (2014)
Winning Best Picture at the 2015 Oscars, Birdman is an entertaining, funny, dark, and technically impressive comedy-drama. It focuses on an aging actor who's haunted by the most famous role of his youth — playing a superhero named Birdman — as he struggles to keep up with his acting commitments, work colleagues, family, and even his grip on reality.
Given that much of the plot involves a stage play (which is obviously done in "one take"), the way Birdman strings together lengthy scenes to give the impression of one take is appropriate. It gets the audience into the mind of Michael Keaton's character, as he's never really out of sight, and the loud soundtrack, scattered narration, and almost always in motion camera represents the chaos and stresses of his life perfectly, becoming one of the best films about acting in the process.
Looks Like One Take: 'Rope' (1948)
Alfred Hitchcock's darkly comedic thriller about two students who murder a colleague and hide his body in their apartment before hosting a party (just so they can prove to themselves they can get away with a flawless crime) tells its story in real-time, and runs for 80 minutes, comprising 10 shots.
Due to technological limitations at the time, cameras couldn't shoot continuously for more than about 10 minutes, so it may well be that Hitchcock would have made this a true one-take movie if the technology had allowed it. And while the cuts are fairly obvious, the fact each goes for an average length of eight minutes is still impressive. Also, the way it unfolds in real-time makes the suspense build perfectly throughout, making it one of Hitchcock's most underrated films.
Really Is One Take: 'Russian Ark' (2002)
Russian Ark comprises a single take of just over 90 minutes and doesn't have much of a concrete plot. A man is led around the various rooms of the Hermitage Museum in Russia, while figures from exhibits and artworks come to life within the museum itself, giving an overview of centuries of Russian history in the process.
It's certainly an unconventional film, and might not be as engaging to viewers who aren't super interested in history. But there's nothing else like it, and there are no attempts to stitch multiple shots together here; it genuinely is all one take. The blend of fantasy and history is interesting too, and it's a worthy watch for those who want something that's both done in one take and conceptually a little out there.
Looks Like One Take: 'Beyond The Infinite Two Minutes' (2020)
Beyond The Infinite Two Minutes has a difficult to summarize plot (like any good time travel movie), but more or less involves a man who discovers the café he works at has a monitor that can broadcast messages from two minutes into the future, allowing him to talk to his future self. When his friends find out about it, hilarious and mind-bending chaos ensues.
The film was shot with an iPhone and all in one location and tells its story in real-time. Cuts are hidden fairly well via transitions — like when the camera goes from a light room to a dark room — and some are hard to notice. Ultimately, the way the story gets so intricate and complicated ensures doing it all in one take would be impossible, but the coordination involved to get the lengthy 3-5 minute takes to work correctly is still staggering and amazing to watch.
Looks Like One Take: 'Running Time' (1997)
Running Time is a low-budget crime thriller that pays homage to old film noir/heist movies from the 1940s/50s. It shows the set-up and inevitable failure of a heist, executed by a thief who's just been released from prison.
The real-time aspect of the film is fun, but a little implausible, and the film is somewhat messy in its execution. With some higher production values, it may have had a better chance of becoming a cult classic, but it's still not a bad watch, especially with the 70-minute runtime that always keeps things moving. Plus, it stars Bruce Campbell (of Evil Dead fame), who's always a ton of fun to watch.
Really Is One Take: 'Utøya: July 22' (2018)
Utøya: July 22 is a difficult and very intense watch, detailing one teenage girl's fight to survive the horrific mass shooting that ended up taking 69 lives on an island off the coast of Norway.
The one-take technique is employed here to give viewers some idea of how tense and horrifying the attack would have been for those trapped on the island whilst a gunman walked around, shooting at people indiscriminately. It means Utøya: July 22 is not an easy watch, nor should it be. Few films successfully capture an attack of this magnitude so viscerally, and the single take comprising this harrowing and important film is a big reason for its ultimate success.