To End All Wars Review:

Synopsis
The true story of a Scottish battalion sent to a Japanese POW camp in WWII and how the prisoners deal with ritual beatings and back breaking labour as they are forced to build the infamous Railroad of Death across Asia. Military veteran Campbell (Robert Carlyle) seeks vengeance on his captors while the young Ernest Gordon (Ciarán McMenamin) preaches forgiveness to the others including Reardon (Kiefer Sutherland) and Dusty (Mark Strong).

Review
The plot may sound a bit like Bridge Over the River Kwai (also inspired by Gordon’s writings) but it as altogether different look at the well worn path of mans inhumanity to man. In fact mix in the metaphysical ponderings of The Thin Red Line and you’re on the right track but go even further and take away the epic sweep and abundance of characters from Malick’s war movie and you get close to the heart of what To End All Wars conjures up; a lengthy slog through hardship with stripped down characters that have only their waning humanity left. Cunningham’s take is a lot more confined and, like the prisoners, we are trapped from the first scene and thrown into the lion’s den to endure, really feeling the grind. Not in a bad way, it’s never boring or slow, but the realism of constant violence and filthy locations certainly begin to wear even the stoniest of viewer down. The few characters are so detailed and strive so doggedly on very different paths that the clashes start to pull you in every direction, forcing questions, who do I root for, who’s right? The film basically follows two ideals; one is military justice pursued by Carlyle’s honourable soldier who believes in an eye for an eye for his captors while on the other hand McMenamin’s pupils do their best to maintain dignity through forgiveness and try not to sink to bitterness and revenge. Even while this melting pot is quickly starting to boil over there is still the problem of Eastern culture clashing violently with Western and the Japanese, richly portrayed, seem trapped in their own POW camp, that of rigid laws of society that they must follow to please their Emperor.

Cunningham uses his documentary skills to the fullest, bringing the uncompromising yet true story to life. The inclusion of still images may sometimes feel like an afterthought but they at least pull the viewer back to the wider world and it’s the roaming handheld camera that really puts you into the thick of things. Also look out for clever little flashback moments that crop up, throwing you off and adding a certain air disorientation to scenes of high drama or brutality. Thankfully it’s no Pearl Harbour in dealing with these acts so no soft focus here although Cunningham sometimes pulls back from it, muting sounds, taking you out of the action slightly but for many, I’m sure, what is shown will be enough.

An international cast really make this feel like a ‘world’ war movie with no-one pretending to be an Australian or Pole with some dodgy accent so we have a wide range of Scots, Aussies and Yanks thrown in together and everyone seems to push themselves past the pain threshold. The absence of any heroics or heroes for that matter means everyone seems in it for characters alone and not for glamorous action. Carlyle is wide-eyed and wild, verging on an enlisted Begbie who still seems bent on vengeful rage but unable to express it, unable to break from the entrenched warrior code. On the other side of the coin is the superb McMenamin who gives a brave, deep performance going from gung-ho kid to benign saviour who you would say leads the story but never dominates as every character seems to have such sweeping arcs. Even Sutherland pulls out all the stops in a role you would assume was tacked on to appeal to US markets but the emotionally shattering role brings out his best and seeing as this is his pre-24 days it must truly mark the actors turning point in fortune.

To End All Wars must be seen and while the Christian overtones may get a bit much for some it certainly does its duty, like other great film of the genre, by showing in the final scenes that there are no winners. It’s no Great Escape where everything’s a bit of a jolly lark or Saving Private Ryan with its flag waving and syrupy sheen. In fact I don’t recall one flag in this movie and the poignant ending with real life war veterans certainly tugs more at the heartstrings than Spielberg’s sugary bookends. War shown here is not exciting or glorious and through most of it I had a lump in my throat. It is something to be survived and having done so you will understand a lot more about the men and the time.

Extras
The making of documentary certainly smacks of overkill with plenty of clips from the film but is very interesting to hear from the stars who clearly wanted to give it their all for this movie. Even more interesting is hearing from the little known director who brings his documentary skills to the project and also how detailed the camp they built was. Lasts about half an hour.

A trailer is also included.

Rich Badley

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