Good but it ain't The Great Escape

Rating: 7/10 (14 March 2011)

I'd like to think I've watched a lot of war films in my 33 years of existence so far, but this one doesn't rank in my top 5. Not to start on a negative, but there it is!
Its a solid film but like the title says, this ain't a scratch on The Great Escape, which I believe is THE benchmark for war movies.
Very good acting on all parts and great story (this is what hooked me to watch it). However it stumbles because it doesn't live up to that story, its soul if you like, a tense whodunnit war film. There is a severe lack of tension throughout the whole thing, from the opening scene when the 2 POWs are shot, to the finale. It could have been given so much more of a claustrophobic feel, and really ramped up the drama. I didn't particularly care who the rat was as nothing during the movie made me want to find out (my first instinct was correct too).
To summarise, this movie gets a solid 7 based on great acting, great story but average direction.