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Still, there is much to praise. I liked all the performances here, testimony not only to the actors but to the director who inspires such consistently good work from his entire cast. Mark Strong is the Christlike Dusty: trained at the Bristol Old Vic and seasoned in productions at the RSC and the Royal National Theatre, he fills even his silences with such a tremendous sense of presence and calm it's hard to imagine another actor in the role. Kiefer Sutherland gets the most unpredictable and dynamic role as the self-interested American whose true allegiance is often in doubt, and he plays him with an opaque changeability that keeps us guessing, providing much of the story's dramatic interest. I was particularly struck by Yugo Saso, who plays the interpreter with tangible compassion and intelligence.

Yugo Saso as Takashi Nagase

But in the end, I wasn't able to like this film as much as I wanted to. I applaud its sentiments, cheer its substantial theology—suffering before glory, cross before crown—and admire the persistence it's taken to get this labor of love to the audience it deserves. But it's not a story I should have had to stand outside of—not when the film's preoccupations are so close to my heart.

Should you rent or buy To End All Wars? Absolutely—it's far more worthwhile than 90% of the commercial product you'll find lining the walls of your local video store. Am I glad I saw it? Certainly—this is an important story, well worth telling, and I intend to watch it again. 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. If only the filmmakers had stuck to telling the story, and let the message take care of itself. If only they believed that dramatic action can speak louder than words.

For further information, check out the film's official site .

Talk About It

1. In the behind-the-scenes documentary, Kiefer Sutherland says, "The greatest act of humanity is that of forgiveness, and the understanding that whatever can rage in somebody else can rage in you. And the only way that we'll get past it collectively is through forgiveness." Were the soldiers right to forgive—and cooperate with—their captors? What would you do in such a situation?
   
   
2. In the film, Christian faith encounters the Japanese Bushido code of honor. How are they different, and what surprising things do they have in common?
   
   
3. What do you make of Plato's teaching about "the fate of the just man"?

The Family Corner

This R-rated film is strong stuff, including graphic (but never gratuitous) depictions of the kind of injury, torture and suffering that are common in war, and which occurred in World War II prisoner of war camps. As a response to these circumstances, there are some instances of strong language, including one particularly intense scene in which a character's shock and grief lead him to use the F-word repeatedly.

Photos © Copyright GMT Pictures

To End All Wars, a new movie from director David Cunningham, is causing a stir among critics with its powerful wartime tale. It made a splash at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and was later nominated for Best Feature Film at the Hawaii Film Festival.

Nevertheless, it may cause a different stir in religious communities. Cunningham, son of Youth With a Mission founders Loren and Darlene Cunningham, is an outspoken Christian. So is Brian Godawa, author of the script. But the film differs from others identified with Christian filmmakers. Whereas the Left Behind/Omega Code-type films avoid foul language, sexuality, and graphic violence as they deliver their apocalyptic tales, this movie is rated R.

Could it be anything else? It's a World War II epic about four POWs enduring harsh treatment in a Japanese camp. In a plot that recalls the classic Bridge Over the River Kwai, the main characters—portrayed by a talented cast that includes Kiefer Sutherland (TV's 24) and Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty)—are forced to construct "the Death Railway" through jungles in Thailand. To endure their trials, the men get involved in philosophical conversations. Christian faith proves a source of strength and inspiration in a dark place.

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