Elaboration

Rating: 6/10 (27 August 2003)

While Paths of Glory is certainly one of Kubrick's best (it certainly ranks above The Shining and Full Metal Jacket), it is only an elaboration on the darker aspects of Milestone's All Quiet on the Western Front. Such concepts as cowardice, insubordination, and prejudice are thrown in to keep things different, but Kubrick can't help hiding that fact.
Kirk Douglas never was a particularly varied or useful actor (Michael Douglas only continued that tradition) and here he is his usual maniacal self, only now we are supposed to sympathize with him. Talk about the impossible.
The camera is not as declarative as AQWF, but Kubrick takes some personal notes and tries to be one better through "artistry". That doesn't quite cut it.
Overall, watchable understanding of war's insanity. Better than MASH and most other examples, on the level of Catch-22. 4 out of 5 stars.