To End All Wars (2001)

58% of critics liked it
(12 reviews)
84% of users liked it
(7,782 ratings)

David L. Cunningham follows up on his acclaimed Beyond Paradise with this Bridge Over the River Kwai-like POW drama. Following Japan's surprise invasion of Singapore during the waning days of 1941, a small British battalion headed by Lieutenant Colonel McLean (James Cosmo), Major Campbell (Robert… More David L. Cunningham follows up on his acclaimed Beyond Paradise with this Bridge Over the River Kwai-like POW drama. Following Japan's surprise invasion of Singapore during the waning days of 1941, a small British battalion headed by Lieutenant Colonel McLean (James Cosmo), Major Campbell (Robert Carlyle), Captain Gordon (Ciaran McMenamin), and Lieutenant Tom Ridgen (Kiefer Sutherland) are captured and imprisoned in a camp deep in the Burmese jungle. Soon after arriving, Major Campbell starts to an uprising. Worn down by an exhausting march through the woods, brutal daily beatings, and a lack of food, the troops are in no mood for a coup and the scheme collapses. Captain Gordon copes with the camp's extreme conditions in a polar opposite manner -- by forgiving his captors and seeking spiritual salvation. Soon a split occurs within the camp between those who follow Campbell's tireless efforts for physical freedom and those who follow Gordon's more transcendent pursues. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 6 min.
Directed By: David L. Cunningham
Written By: Brian Godawa
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Dec 6, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Jun 15, 2004
Studio: Argyll Film Partners

Critic Reviews

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
More grueling than rewarding.
David Hunter, Hollywood Reporter
An ensemble effort that recalls other great POW movies, Wars boasts many superb performances.
Burl Burlingame, Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Will be well-received on Sunday-school movie night at church, particularly during group discussions afterward. For the rest of us, alas, it doesn't quite hang together.
Ron Reed, Christianity Today
Its message of costly sacrifice and hard-won reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel, and the fact that this story is drawn from actual events demands attention.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...there's no denying that the story it's telling is a fascinating one.
David Thomas, Filmcritic.com
the unoriginal presentation, which often favors hitting us over the head when restraint would be far more enticing, leaves much to be desired
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
Extremely well-made, this film looks excellent and features strong performances from the entire cast.
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
There's so much cynical and calculated religion these days that it's nice to see, regardless of one's wartime affiliation, a traditional Christian forgiveness that really does have the power to redeem.
Chuck Wilson, L.A. Weekly
A vivid but uneven film.
Ed Scheid, Boxoffice Magazine
Director David L. Cunningham, working on a small budget, skillfully combines scenes of action and anxiety with substantial character development.

Read all 10 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Douglas W C

To find hope in the worst of places. An amazing movie that is one of best war movies I have ever seen.
Al S

An amasing and unforgettable movie. Powerful, astonishing and extroadinary. A remarkable look on the inside of pain and survival. Kiefer Sutherland, Mark Strong, Ciaren McMenamin and Robert Carlyle deliver excellent performances. A relentless war drama. It grabs you and never lets go… More
An amasing and unforgettable movie. Powerful, astonishing and extroadinary. A remarkable look on the inside of pain and survival. Kiefer Sutherland, Mark Strong, Ciaren McMenamin and Robert Carlyle deliver excellent performances. A relentless war drama. It grabs you and never lets go for a second. Brilliant, riveting and exhilerating. A film such as this should not be missed. Well excuted and superbly performed. An emotionally gripping, deeply moving and electrifying powerhouse. Great storytelling thats as gripping and as moving as Schindlers List. . A film with an impact more powerful than any gun battle could describe. This is true poetry-in-motion. A remarkable piece of work.
Mike S

Surprisingly good! It's a mystery why this one never went up in the cinema as it has a great, yet brutal, story to tell. It feels a bit different than regular war movies, as it is mostly played out in a prison camp, but in this case that's something that works for the… More
Surprisingly good! It's a mystery why this one never went up in the cinema as it has a great, yet brutal, story to tell. It feels a bit different than regular war movies, as it is mostly played out in a prison camp, but in this case that's something that works for the better. On top of that it bears a lot of heart and soul that will definitely affect you on some level. What makes it most special though is the excellent and well-mixed cast. Among them is a very interesting character played by Kiefer Sutherland, who we now know best through the hit series "24". The only thing I didn't really like about this movie is the music score...but maybe that's just me.
Jeffrey M

A powerful movie that offers a compelling view of war and the power of forgiveness,and does so in an effective and engrossing way. The subject matter and tone is in many ways similar to Bridge Over the River Kwai (a masterpiece), especially in the way it humanizes the enemy, though it… More
A powerful movie that offers a compelling view of war and the power of forgiveness,and does so in an effective and engrossing way. The subject matter and tone is in many ways similar to Bridge Over the River Kwai (a masterpiece), especially in the way it humanizes the enemy, though it lacks the restraint and subtlety of that film. Strong performances from everyone involved. I only wish the film had waited until the epilogue to show the real-life images of the POW camps, as to do it in-film can be distracting. An authentic and memorable tale of war and redemption. 4/5 Stars
Erin C

Extremely sad and brutal. It was very good though!