The Bridge (2008)

Undescribable Perfection

Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Don't worry about reading the spoilers: the film was spoiled before it was ever made. During the last days of WW2 a small riverside town in Germany is threatened by advancing US forces. Overzealous local officials press a class of schoolboys into uniform in a last ditch attempt to protect the bridge long enough for retreating German units. But then the story turns into absurdity. Within a few hours of recruitment the boys are treated like criminals hounded and abused by older soldiers and officers who apparently have absolutely no regard for these kids at all. Every single adult German male under the age of 90 (excepting the schoolmaster) is depicted as overbearing, abusive, aggressive, selfish, depraved or simply drunken.This production is an utter insult to German war veterans who are depicted here as monsters. It perpetuates the propaganda that every single Nazi official was sub human and that the Germans are highly susceptible to control by lunatics. Even the Americans are ridiculously portrayed. A fighter plane spots a young couple by the river and sprays them with bullets. The pilot even returns for another attempt when he misses them. A bomber pilot spots the boys on the bridge and discharges a 2 ton bomb in an effort to clear them. The fact that the bridge might be useful for his own advancing troops never occurs to him. The advancing column has a single tank which once destroyed has no backup to take out the defenders. An entire company of trained soldiers is quite unable to deal with 6 schoolboys who have made themselves a simple dug out behind a small wall. A few grenades or mortars would have finished the boys in ten minutes but after a two day engagement in which the Americans lose at least 5 soldiers they eventually pull back for reinforcements. But it gets worse. The boys are portrayed by actors as old as 23 and only one has a voice remotely like a 16 year old. They all speak and behave just like 21st century lads who have just had a night on the city club scene rather than simple country schoolboys from the time of their grandfathers. One of them even uses American style yells of joy when killing a soldier. The only trained lad amongst them (who had been to Napola military school) blows himself up because he doesn't know how to check safety catches on anti tank rockets. And when told to withdraw so another unit can destroy the bridge and thereby delay the advance these fantasy kids aim their guns at their own comrades in an attempt to continue their mission to protect it. Rather than arresting them, the German unit, obviously beaten by two insane schoolboys, simply abandons the bridge and sprays them with bullets as they leave. The original 1959 version is a masterpiece of German cinema. Every reader is recommended to watch it. But this remake is simply a waste of your time unless such propaganda has any appeal.

I did not realise that this was a TV remake of Berhard Wicki's 1959 classic 'Die Brucke' especially as the cover was more misleading than a James Bond movie and the credits stated that the screenplay was based upon a book by Gregor Dorfmeister (Wicki's masterpiece credited a novel by Manfred Gregor). In fact it was a remake of 'Die Bruck' albeit with the additional sub-plots of a sexual nature. I also was impressed with the attention to detail on the equipment employed and care taken with the Production set and design. Whilst it was not quite the work of art displayed by the 1959 version it was acceptable and fairly realistic. Indeed I thought that it was very well made and was to Feature Film standard. I am still working on identifying some of the kit used but it was all believable for the period. Despite the reliance upon Franke Potente as the main international 'Name' in the cast, the casting was very good and all of the characters were believable and did a grand job in telling this sad tale. I do not believe that most fans of this genre will be too disappointed with this well made little tale of the futility of war.

Hi "dixibuster", you should see the original version, which is not 30, but almost 50 years old and one of the classical and best movies in German movie history.This remake is a well-meant try to bring this serious issue to todays's younger generation. Clear, it's nothing in comparison to Dennis Gansels "Napola", but it's o.k. And if the remake brings some of the audience of the younger generation to see Bernard Wickis original from 1959, then I think it has fulfilled his service.But one thing I must add: Main Character Francois Göske shows also here, that he's one of the most talented young actors in Germany. With his extremely physically acting he will have a great movie career !

I finished watching the movie just 10 minutes ago and i have to say I'm speechless and shocked about this horrible caricature of the great 1958 movie "Die brücke". Im actually that shocked that i had to call a friend while watching it and look it up on IMDb to see about any commentary or review of it but there was no comment yet so i feel the urgent need to speak out my opinion about this 2 hours wastes time of my life that will never come back. First of all the German characters. the boy which should protect the bridge are grossly stupid and act like idiots (attend to throw brown-shirt from the bridge). almost all characters, especially German soldiers are caricatures of the stereotypical "evil Nazi soldier" and not humans. dialogs try to be meaningful in a pathetic way. but funny sometimes but not because they are intended to be funny. just because they are so horrendously atrocious. to me this seems like the script was written by totally far from any reality living 8th grade students which had to write a political correct theater-play for school. the action scenes are cartoonish, lack any realism (the 1958 version is far superior about that. watch both and decide for yourself), poorly cut and more funny than scary or sad. but i have to admit that equipment and uniforms are well done and mostly historical correct, except the Russian T-72 tank as American Sherman double. this movie is is exactly your intellectual level if you like the "bildzeitung" and love TV-shows like "punkt12", "sam" or "taff". (germans know what i mean o.o) otherwise go and see the 1958 version of the movie "die brücke"