Slightly Underwhelming But A Memorable Piece Of Work Nonetheless

Rating: Null/10 (18 January 2015)

There's a lot to admire about The Bridge on the River Kwai. It's a grand production put together amazingly well by David Lean & benefits greatly from his composed direction, some wonderful performances as well as its expertly executed third act. Yet when compared to its near- unanimous praise, it turned out to be slightly underwhelming experience for me.
The story of The Bridge on the River Kwai is set in a Japanese prison camp during the Second World War where the newly arrived British prisoners of war are ordered to construct a railway bridge; a task which is later overseen by their senior officer after his conditions are accepted but he's completely oblivious of the allies' plan to destroy it.
Directed by David Lean, this is the second film of his that I've seen, first being Lawrence of Arabia & he really seems to have a knack when it comes to handling a huge cast. Production design work is breathtaking, camera-work is controlled, editing is what I've a problem with for the film felt overlong & its finely composed score has one really catchy piece.
Coming to the performances, the cast comprises of William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins & others, and their performances are very good. Holden chips in nicely & also brings along the much appreciated humour. Hawkins enters the film quite late yet leaves his mark in the end. But this is Guinness' show all the way plus there's one scene showing him walking from one place to another & the way he did it, it's a classic moment right there.
On an overall scale, it's not difficult to determine why The Bridge on the River Kwai is considered a memorable classic. It's enjoyable, entertaining & even rewarding but being a long film, it also requires a bit of patience. The final act is easily one of the best ones around for it is incredibly tense, ingeniously filmed & culminates the story on a stunning high. Even though the film didn't match my expectations, I've no hesitation in recommending it to anyone. Definitely worth a shot.