Landmark Epic

Rating: 10/10 (4 July 2002)

A movie so good that I am careful to watch it only occasionally in order to preserve the 'newness' of the film in my mind. If you have the chance to see this in a movie theatre, do it! I can only think of a handful of movies that have successfully combined visuals, sound and story in such a rich and compelling way. Performances from Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif and Anthony Quinn are standouts. Whenever I see an adventure movie today, I lament that epics like this are hardly ever attempted anymore, and when they are, directors and producers choose to substitute digital effects for storytelling. Here is a movie without a single digital effect that is far more fascinating than either of the new Star Wars movies. Director David Lean was a visionary man whose work will forever entertain audiences and inspire new filmmakers to greater and more challenging heights. This cinephile is very grateful.