Just finished this.
The movie seemed to have some problems with what direction it wanted to go. Mainly is it a war movie or is it love movie or is it both?

But over all ends up seeming like a movie that was going to be so much more then it is, and if it hadn't been for the expections of a far grander movie would have been fine. I was expecting an easy coast over 3 hours not 2 something.

It play like a big budget movie but was done for $20million apparently.

But that aside top notch sound and video. It's been one the very rare occasions where I just put the movie on and enjoyed it.

Lots of surround sounds, quite a few times I either thought someone else was behind me or I was ducking at the sounds of artilery going by.

Some great shots of the calgery "fields" and the mountains.




Anyone else pick/rent this?

I bought this movie. I think the picture quality is pretty good. Overall, the movie was well done considering the budgetary constraints it was under. It plays like it cost a lot more then twenty million. I found the romance got a bit draggy. However, the war scenes were terriffic and I think that most Canadians should watch the movie. I can certainly see this as being a regulary viewed movie around Remembrance Day every year.

I bought this movie. I think the picture quality is pretty good. Overall, the movie was well done considering the budgetary constraints it was under. It plays like it cost a lot more then twenty million. I found the romance got a bit draggy. However, the war scenes were terriffic and I think that most Canadians should watch the movie. I can certainly see this as being a regulary viewed movie around Remembrance Day every year.

Do you recommend this movie to an American who has a strong interest in war films and WW1?

The war scenes will keep the guys interested, and the romance for the gals. There is real chemistry between the 2 leads.

Do you recommend this movie to an American who has a strong interest in war films and WW1?I would like to warn all of our American cousins that this film may shock them by showing that there were other people fighting in the war(s). This is something that Hollywood has successfully hidden from the American people, so the shock may be something you wish to avoid.:rolleyes:

Good little move, great battle scenes. Recommended.

Mike

What are you talking about Mike? What about these films?
A Bridge too Far (Brits, Poles)
The Battle of Britain (Brits AKA the Limeys ;) )
The Longest Day (Canucks, Brits, Scots)
The Eagle Has Landed (Brits)
Patton (Brits)

And those are just the ones already on blu-ray.
Heck even Ted Danson's character in Saving Private Ryan makes mention of us Canadians (although in a denigrating way).

(Don't worry, I won't point out that the Americans couldn't have been the only ones fighting in the war. Can't have a war without the Germans can you? ;) )

All teasing aside (and a long post in reply to a sarcastic one) I would personally wait until the price comes down (since it's still $32), but would agree that it's nice to finally have a Canadian centric perspective on the war.

On a random side note, in Call of Duty 3 you can actually play as the Canadians, to bad it was made before Treyarch got its act together.

Then there's probably my fave war movie Cross of Iron which takes place from the German perspective. Supposedly also had a sequel although I've only ever heard very little of it and is only available on VHS to date. There's also Enemy at the Gates from the Soviet perspective, has probably the best introduction to the battlefield of any war movie as the guy gets out of the train and is in awe of the destruction he sees and as they're crossing the river on the boats they get torn up by the Luftwaffe.

Don't forget:

Stalingrad - German Side
Das Boot - German Side
Soldier of Orange - Dutch
Indigène - French colonial side
March or Die - Foreign Legion
Under the flag of the rising sun - Japan side
Japan Longuest day - Japan side
Yamato - Japan side
Battle for Okinawa - Japan side
Letter from Iwo Jima - Japan side
55 days at Peking - Multinational

We're only talking about Hollywood though. But yes Letters from Iwo Jima is a very good one.

Excellent list Nosferax.
Stalingrad was an excellent film, especially when watched after enemy at the gates (which hopefully will get a similar transfer and 7.1 audio to the one on my French HD-dvd)

Anyways, since the topic is the film passchendale, I was wondering if there was any other WWI films that could be compared with it. The only ones I know of are the Blue Max (starring George Peppard of A Team fame and about pilots) Wings (which is apparently coming to Blu) and Gallipoli which is probably the closest to Passchendale.

Do you recommend this movie to an American who has a strong interest in war films and WW1?

I think it is worth a look. If you are able to handle the romance section of the film I think it is a pretty good World War I film. If you can pick it up easily or rent it I would say you should definatly give it a shot. The reason I recmmended it for most Canadians to see is because we have so few movies that show our contributons to the wars. It was nice they mentioned Vimmy Ridge in the movie and it was mentioned that the Candian soldiers were called storm troopers by the Germans. We don't do anywhere near as good a job of recognizing our heroes as other places do.