Emotional, timeless, beautiful

Rating: 8/10 (27 October 2013)

What can I say? The film was beautiful both in picture quality and story. I'm not a huge war movie fan, but I loved this. I might also add that I've seen very few war films, maybe 10 or so, and Paths of Glory became an instant classic. I found myself losing focus ever so slightly in the beginning as it took just a little bit to gain momentum. But that's perfectly fine as it's Kubrick's style to take his time. It's worth it. Once you reach a certain point of the story you're holding on with all your strength, swimming in the trenches with the soldiers.
The deeper meanings carried throughout the film such as hypocrisy, the weaknesses of bureaucracy, and the travesty's of war are clearly depicted. After doing some further reading, I learned there is some truth to specific events that take place in the film. I'm sparing the spoilers so I don't have to tag this review as such.
If you're a war film buff, I think you'll love this movie. From the mouth of Martin Scorsese, "My friends and I were war movie buffs. We had seen nothing quite like Paths of Glory." Personally, I was so intrigued by this movie that I will make it my duty to watch more war films. I never realized how powerful they could be.
The cast is also fantastic. Each actor portraying their character with extreme accuracy, not allowing the viewer to question its authenticity for a second.