The Bridge on the River Kwai

Rating: 9/10 (11 January 2019)

A compelling work engulfed with human nature embellished by a grand design, it's a monumental testament to the condition of war and nationalism. The still frame shots of a cascade of bats darkening the Indian sky, disturbed by the brutality of soldiers. And that's how you feel when it all ends. Lean captures that unabashed pride that inhabits every countrymen, and, in a close up shot on the brilliant Alex Guiness, he captures that horrific gaze, the kind a soldier possesses before uttering "What have I done?". Tragic, suspenseful, and altogether beautifully done, Bridge On The River Kwai feels essential, significant in every way.