davidfurlotte The first thing to say is that if you are looking for a war movie with big battle sequences that shows men singlehandedly holding back a complete division with only a pistol and some foul language, you best look elsewhere.If you are looking for a movie that gives a little insight into what happens to a man when he gets stripped of dignity, morality and even base humanity, you NEED to see "To End All Wars." I have never been a P.O.W. or even served in uniform so I would never dare to say that I would do this or that or even compare myself with any of the main characters in this movie, but I FEEL that the acting, the portrayal of men who WERE there was brilliant. Although some of the scenes in the movie were fictional -- such as the use of a wheelchair for one of the men who had been paralysed from the waist down -- the balance of scenes as taken from the autobiographical novel were very well done.This movie tells the true story of men being held in a P.O.W. camp by the Japanese and being used as slave labourers to construct a railroad to allow the Japanese a method to conquer more territory in Asia. What impressed me more than anything else was how the movie did not play down the brutality of Japanese soldiers in WWII because it might offend sensibilities. History should not be pasteurized because if we water things down we might end up repeating such things in the future. ALL countries have had their "dark" eras.I enjoy any movies that depict the military because I am an amateur military historian. This particular movies earns high marks in ALL areas, cinematography, acting, directing and most important, remaining accurate to real events. If you have NOT yet seen it, I envy you.

Jason Vaughn As a history buff I've seen a variety of war and POW movies. WWII movies happen to be a favorite as they seem to show special spirit of the nations in a hard fought fight against the Axis powers.Out of all of the war movies I've seen this one holds a great place in my heart.1) The story wasn't solely focused on an American soldier. While I love our soldiers many nations joined together to fight in WWII. It was really nice to see other nationalities hold the banner of freedom out in such a movie.2) The opening scene captures my heart.3) The soundtrack is one of the greatest I've heard outside the Thin Red Line.4) Kiefer Sutherland portrayal in the latter half of the movie is the greatest since the early days of his portrayal as Jack Baurer.5) This movie beyond anything else shares the greatest picture of redemption I've yet to see.I was in awe of this story throughout. It captivated my attention and refused to let it go. I've never enjoyed a movie enough to write a review on IMDb, but this broke every mold I know.

Edward The movie covers an interesting - and important - episode in the history of the war with Japan, and it ought to be realistic, being based on the actual experiences of Captain Ernest Gordon as a Japanese prisoner of war. But it is let down by a clichéd, lightweight script, more suited to the playful inanities of Dad's Army than the harrowing deprivations and violence of life in a concentration camp.The direction and editing too are amateurish: the end result is a disconnected sequence of scenes, with little narrative or emotional development. Only Robert Carlyle's passion, James Cosmo's gravity and the Japanese commanders' brutal aggression make some of the early scenes convincing, shockingly so. But realism soon evaporates as we see fit, healthy, well-fed men suddenly start dying (which has to be explained with voice-over); we find the prisoners mysteriously transported back and forth between the camp and the railroad construction site, over a hundred kilometers away; and the soldiers who labor hard by day are wakeful and eager of an evening to indulge in philosophical study.I wonder though why I am almost alone in dissenting? It seems that the movie's wholesome homespun morals appeal too readily to sentimental Christians.

futures-1 "To End all Wars": Starring Robert Carlyle ("Go Now"), Keifer Sutherland, and MANY talented men. As the film began, it felt like a cousin to "Bridge on the River Kwai", but the plot slowly morphed to an even MORE complex set of ethical issues, with divisions not seen in that great 1950's film. I see this new one as more related to the movie "Andersonville" - our own true American tragedy of a P.O.W. camp during the Civil War - and what THAT experience demanded of those interned. "To End all Wars" is certainly an anti-war film, and a true story, but looks at many individuals for the complexity of dealing with the horror...and offers bits of consolation...where it can be found. Its elegant ending reminded me of "Schindler's List". "To End all Wars" deserves to be considered a PROFOUND film.