The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - Review

This classic war film holds up so well, with a genuinely intriguing moral conundrum and fantastic storytelling. The journey of Col. Nicholson and his battalion, captured in a Japanese war camp is one that is so morally interesting. Col. Nicholson is so prideful that he stands by code until his final breath, and he’s willing to sacrifice his own life to make sure the respect of his command holds. His relationship, and mirroring, with Co. Saito is some of the most engaging scenes in the film. Counter to that is Shears, who’s morals have faded into obscurity. Where this character go as the film goes along and reaches its breaking point is so intense and satisfying. Bring with it one of the best climaxes on a structural and technical level, and the entire package is wrapped up on the best way possible. The performances, direction, cinematography and writing just add onto the film’s brilliance. This is by far one of the best war epics put to film, and it’s well worth the long runtime.