Review of The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) by Ivan M — 03 May 2012
There is nothing amazingly special about this film. It is the same deal you get with many British military films, with irritating stereotypical characters and clichéd sequences. This may very well be the first of its kind, but if so it has been so influential that once you get round to watching it, you get the feeling that you've seen it all before.
The film's best section is the climax at the very end, which is extremely well done. However, the film ending with a memorable scene does not cancel out the fact that the rest of the film is very slow, heightened by the fact that one struggles to identify with the characters.
I understand this is viewed as a classic, and it is a well-made film, with stunning imagery and a terrific performance from Alec Guiness, but I do not rank this highly when compared to other classics which I consider masterpieces.
This review of The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) was written by Ivan M on 03 May 2012.
The Bridge on the River Kwai has generally received very positive reviews.
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