Great WW2 movie, Peckinpah style

Rating: 8/10 (22 April 2018)

Cross Of Iron is a very good and different WW2 film that is very original and well done. This movie was'nt a big budget production by any means, but Sam Peckinpah got a lot of bang for his buck in his last great film. The film is gritty, bleak and depressing and is taken from the German soldier's point of view in the final days of battle on the Russian front. This film is mostly devoid of dogma or politics of the war, but very accurately conveys the horrors of war. James Coburn gives one of his finest performances as skilled German soldier Sgt. Steiner who is a killing machine, but hates the war and his superiors.(which mirrors Sam 's views on authority, especially producers, of which his battles are legendary) The film has excellent performers for sure with Maximillian Schell, James Mason and David Warner. The battle scenes are great and showcases a lot of Sam's signature slow motion shootouts. This is Sam Peckinpah's only war film and it is very unique and quite excellent that he comments on violence and ultra authoritarian governments. He does not beat the viewer over the head with this subtext, but the anti war message is there. Even with Peckinpah's alcohol and drug problems, he still is on the top of his game in this production and made a very memorable and effective anti war film.