To End All Wars (2001)

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

One of the worst movies I've ever seen

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

One of the most powerful movies I've ever seen, on human spirit through the most horrendous circumstances. Based on a true story, thought provoking, a must see

This movie totally slid by me when it came out and I am usually pretty good at spotting good war movies. It was a really well crafted movie that kind of felt like a realistic version of the factually flawed movie "The Bridge over the River Kwai. No catchy whistle tunes, just the cold harshness of the non Geneva convention signing Japanese Imperial Army.The story follows a group of British soldiers as they surrendered to the Japanese and came to suffer the war as slaves in a POw camp. It illustrates the cold, in human treatment they suffered and how they survived in the face of such adversity and evil. It is a great tale, as gut-wrenching as it is, of both the evil humans do to each other and the strength that we can have to survive.The movie was filmed pretty well, and the actors, especially Robert Carlyle gave strong performances. As good as it was I still do think there was room for improvement, and it was still a somewhat sanitized version of what life in these camps were really like. Perhaps that was to get through the censors or the just didn't want to create a controversy or face a backlash for being to grotesque, such as the controversy "Saving Private Ryan," received for being to realistic in regards to it's D-Day scenes.I do think it is a movie worth watching for the history alone.Like my reviews, hate em? Comments, hate mail, or have a DVD you would like reviewed? send me an e-mail at : [email protected]

James Cosmo, Robert Carlyle & the token Hollywood Superstar Keifer Sutherland are the main protagonists here.Playing soldiers captured by the Japanese during World War 2 who are made to build a railway.On its own this is an amazing movie with a brilliant cast (especially the supporting actors) but when you find out at the end it is based on a true story it makes it even better.Some of the atrocities committed by the Japanese are truly awful, beating a prisoner on his 1st day at a camp for disobeying a rule he hadn't even been informed of. Forcing prisoners to sign something that says they won't try to escape.Executing prisoners in cold blood (James Cosmo is murdered for refusing to sign and haranguing the Japanese Commander). The Japanese are constantly referring to Bushido, The Warriors Code of Honour but never once are they honourable in their conduct to their prisoners.Even when they are rewarding them with gifts, they are giving them Red Cross parcels that rightfully belong to them anyway.There are many examples of extreme violence and senseless cruelty towards prisoners that may put many potential viewers off. Making men dig graves then shooting them into the graves they have just dug for themselves (at the very start of the film!).Almost beating a man unconscious for not bowing to a guard even though no camp rules have been explained to them as new prisoners. Beating a man until he is crippled with a shovel for theft even though it is discovered no theft occurred, it was a simple mis-count.Crucifying a man is the worst example of this cruelty. This film is difficult to watch at times but deserves to be much better known about.Watch it and pray no war ever happens like this again.

How did this not get a MASSIVE distribution deal? How did this not get an amazing cinematic release? This Film would have made History. I guess this is just the way the Film World is for new film makers, and new independent film makers. What they don't realize is that even though the mob in Hollywood may have not liked David to much, or that no one took a massive bite into the distribution/cinematic release is that they just missed out on what could have been an amazing, AMAZING thing for the film world. Not only for their wallets but in every other aspect. I would still like to see this Film re-released in the Cinema, and have a big build up. I still think it could pull it off, even all these years later!