An epic tale of courage and heroism.

Rating: 9/10 (11 November 2008)

David Lean began the strongest stretch of his career with this fantastic anti-war film based on a novel about a group of British POW soldiers commissioned to build a bridge for the Japanese army. Trouble arises, however, when the leader of the British, Colonel Nicholson played remarkably by Alec Guiness, refuses to work the way of the Japanese. Meanwhile, a team of British commandos is put together to go and blow up the bridge that is to be erected.
Simply put, this is a masterful film that is terrifically well-made and builds great tension despite seeing it multiple times. The acting is very good all around, especially from Guiness and William Holden as the heroic yet cynical Shears. The cinematography is gorgeous as the scene is set in the jungle of Southeast Asia, and Lean directs at such a solid pace that the story never lags despite the film being two and a half hours long. Lean was a master at building a scene for a climax, and he does it very well here as we watch both sides of this story unfold and wonder what could possibly happen. All elements point to an award-winning, classic war film that will last for decades. And that is exactly what The Bridge on the River Kwai has become and will be.