Monday, February 25, 2008
CLIMBING DOWN
Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was Sydney Lumet's
This is a military prison picture with a few embellishments. Tense. Difficult.
A punishment hill that is a killer. Literally.
I did need the subtitles. There is a lot of noise going on and it is hard to get all the words with the accents and all.
It is a good solid piece of work but somehow doesn't hit in the gut as much as it should.
A bit contrived.
It was good to see the military drill get kicked in the ass at the end.
The best thing in the film is Harry Andrews who I remember from many British films. He is a tough looking Scot who, in this case, is a flawed villain. He can't quite bring off the sadism. Ineffective. Breaks down. In fact the whole cadré sort of loses it.
I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5.
Labels: best films
