From a barbed wire camp to barbed wire country...

Rating: 7/10 (20 December 2014)

I won't insult your intelligence by discussing the nature of it's plot. Even of you've lived as a hermit for the past 50 years, you'll hear the words "Great Escape" and know exactly what I'm talking about. Engraving Steve McQueen into the annals of pop culture and giving new meaning to the term "war movie", the masses considered the film to be "THE Great Escape".
Personally, I thought it was slightly overrated. It will never touch classics such as Patton, A Bridge Too Far and The Dirty Dozen. Still, don't get me wrong, it is one great war movie, just not the GREATEST. A fun 2 hours and 45 minutes was spent watching it and the events unfolding throughout the story were thrilling to say the least. The Great Escape is an immortal testament to the inspiring determination and shrewdness of an extraordinary bunch of individuals and the bond they shared. The film has the benefit of a staunch script with each scene flowing nicely. Although her we have the problem. The film is a little overlong which therefore allows much of the dialogue to dry out. The movie also becomes tedious when you're seeing the same huts and barbed wire fences. This is why it's first half can be difficult to get through. When lacking in action and suspense, this is understandable. However, the sequences involving the planning and execution of the escape do provoke interest by engaging the mind. The detail of the script and of the actual escape itself will never cease to fascinate me. The second half of the movie is much more exciting and takes full advantage of the Panavision cinematography. With it's sweeping vistas of snow capped peaks and lush green plains, this is one war film that is a lot more easier on the eye. The editing techniques too are praiseworthy. Most of the film's second half is crammed with cutaways of different characters making their bid for freedom. This cranks up the pace and builds excitement towards the end of the film.
It's stellar cast is comprised of some fine acting talent. The performances were superb, but none of them really stood out for me. Steve McQueen was pretty cool as Hilts and made for a great ode to teenage rebelliousness. The best performances came from Donald Pleasance and Charles Bronson. Richard Attenborough was good as Bartlett, as was Hannes Messemer as Colonel Von Luger, the camp commandant. The film has very little action and the action sequences come in abrupt, but tense bursts. I found the famed motorcycle chase to be a little anticlimactic but awesome nonetheless. The escape from the camp via the underground tunnel had me perched on the edge of my seat and John Sturges kept the suspense rigidly tight throughout the last half of the film. The suspense is ten times more electrifying than the action itself and puts the "Great" into the title. Elmer Bernstein's score is decent, but we've all heard it before somewhere.
To say it's not all it's cracked up to be would be rather harsh, just don't expect too much from it upon your first viewing. However, The Great Escape is an intriguing time passer which will hold your interest. If you're any kind of war movie fan, you must see it at least once. 7.5/10.