Less an anti-war movie than an anti-World-War-One movie--but it sure works for me

Rating: Null/10 (5 March 2003)

For me, the most compelling thing about this film is that is is based on actual occurrences: French troops did refuse to attack at one point during this most insane and pointless of wars. The movie certainly makes no attempt to be objective--and why on earth should it? From the perspective of the 21st century, it is hard to imagine a more immoral and outrageous event than World War One--in which an entire generation of several nations was led to slaughter for no detectable reason, except the pique of a group of so-called Great Nations whose era was deservedly coming to an end. Though I cannot comment authoritatively on how realistic the war scenes or the military protocol is--nor, I suspect, can anyone else living in this day--I found the battle scenes devastating, the dialogue often riveting, and the final scene extremely affecting. It would be best to see this film on a big screen, but it's worth seeing however you can. Kubrick might not have attained full mastery of his craft when he made this one, but he was still head and shoulders above most of his contemporaries. I have a slight preference for Grand Illusion as a film about the insanity of war, but this runs it a respectably close second.