Review of A Bridge Too Far (1977) by Joel W — 22 May 2011

"The plan (Operation Market Garden) like so many plans in so many wars before it was meant to end the fighting, and bring the boys back home.".

A stone-cold World War 2 masterpiece of epic proportions and mind-blowing realism. Director Richard Attenborough's best film. A completely flawless gem of brilliance and expert craftmanship. Pure manpower, no special effects, no computer generated imagery, no digital re-creations everything is real from the skydivers to the tanks and all of the the battle sequences and that fact is astonishing. A Bridge Too Far features some of the most outstandingly epic battle scenes ever captured on film. It's a cinematic portrayal of Operation Market Garden during World War 2, and a damn good one at that. Brilliant, hypnotizing, mind-blowing, violent and downright realistic this film has everything that a flawless war film should have. A true classic in every aspect, one that should be seen once by everyone in my opinion. Attenborough has a keen eye for tiny details, and this type of attentiveness makes for a magnificent cinematic experience. A Bridge Too Far stands tall among some of the best war films ever made, a masterwork, a towering achievement that has stood the test of time and will continue to do so for decades yet to come. Stunning and electrifying, ground-breaking and exhilarating, magnetic and hard-hitting, a tremendously hardboiled and downright sensational classic. One of my favorite war films.

The cast is packed with big names, many of them giving early performances in their iconic careers. Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins, Gene Hackman, James Caan, Dirk Brogard, Robert Redford, and Michael Caine all give searingly convincing performances throughout. I haven't seen a film with such a gathering of legendary actors and pure talent like this, it's just an all-around spectacular cinematic experience.