TxCracker

I gave this film a 9 out of 10. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because it tells one lie. No Americans actually participated in the escape.

It is a historical fact that the escape was originally to be made by the Americans, but their tunnel, Tom, was discovered by German camp guards just a few days before the scheduled break. The movie shows how Tom was busted, but unfortunately does not reveal that it was the American tunnel. The second tunnel, Dick, was used instead, but that particular tunnel originated in a British barracks; therefore all the escapees were in fact British soldiers.

Other than that, the rest of the details were unusually accurate, given the fact that Hollywood is not well known for sticking with facts. The Great Escape is an excellent chronology of a group of brave men attempting a nearly-impossible task with an amazing degree of success.

The actual escape belongs on the list of greatest human efforts in history, and the movie belongs on the list of greatest films ever made.

I actually prefer It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World - but sure, it was the original. I've gotta say though that this one wasn't bad either. Many of the scenes were really funny and I thought it was a worthy effort.

The only thing that bothered me was the ending, which was so unbelievably bogus and corny, I felt like I was gonna gag. That part seemed like it was written by Anne Landers or Aunt Bee, or some other old lady, ruining the whole wacky Bundy-type image of the movie. I really thought John Cleese would have had more class than to be involved in a dorky ending like that. I'd be willing to bet he wasn't happy about it.

I recommend this movie for all those who enjoy slapstick comedy, but turn it off before it ends! Of course you won't...not knowing how it ends would be even worse than hating the ending.

This film is packed full of irony, but the most ironic thing about it may be the way film-maker Moore condemns the media for creating unfounded fear throughout our society. I mean, Jeez, ain't it obvious that he's attempting to do exactly the same thing? Moore, how 'bout taking a look in the mirror...you ARE the freakin' media. By making a film for public exhibition, you have given yourself that status, and through its content you are intentionally alarming and misinforming the public.

It would be nice if he could have actually presented the facts in an unbiased fashion, and let the rest of us use our heads to process those facts and come to our own conclusions. But Moore, as is the case with most film makers, looks through the camera with only his left eye and makes damn sure we all know he intends for us to see it his way.

His little animated bullet cartoon is the worst of it. While mildly entertaining, it paints a portrait of white people as a weak and tremblingly fearful race, prone to kill everything they don't understand, while blacks are decent, kind and strong, only wanting to have a family picnic as the horrible whites hide behind trees with their guns. Next, he has to take issue with the makers of the show "Cops" for having the audacity to show black people being arrested on television for committing crimes, when, as we have already learned, black people don't ever do anything but go on innocent picnics.

I got tired of watching Cops a long time ago, but I seem to remember them showing plenty of white and hispanic lawbreakers too. I think most of us have watched the program and laughed at the nasty-looking white drunks as they pitched their equally nasty-looking fat wives through the windows of their trailer houses. But people like Moore want to nurture the image of minorities being mistreated, stereotyped, and harrassed by whites, which is in fact a stereotype in itself. This way he can do his part to keep racism alive and flourishing in the "Land of the Free" forever.

One part of this documentary I do agree with is our government's lack of good sense concerning its intrusion into the affairs of other countries. Sure, if somebody comes over here and blows up our real estate and personnel we should not hesitate to find them and send them back to kingdom come. But, on the other hand, if we weren't in their country to begin with, helping their enemies and supplying them all with weapons, they wouldn't have felt a need to attack us in the first place.

So now I get to read these comments from people in various parts of the globe who, after having viewed this movie, have the United States all figured out. They sit back, feeling smug and superior, telling us what is wrong with our country and our lack of legislation (too much legislation in my opinion), shaking their heads sadly at our shameful stupidity, laughing at our supposed fear of each-other, not getting the idea that the "fear" is only a media myth to begin with.

Well, I don't know why we have the most bloodthirsty citizens in the world. America was founded by men with guns, has been traditionally defended by men with guns, and is being constantly protected by men with guns. Freedom comes with a price. Lives are lost every day, for many reasons, some right, some wrong. As portrayed in the 100th episode of South Park, we need hawks to protect our way of life and keep us from being annihilated, just as we need doves to keep the tempo toned down to a level somewhere below insanity and to show we aren't just a nation of killer rednecks. I, for one, feel plenty safe here, but if I do happen to catch a stray bullet some day, you can bet your ass I won't blame it on K-Mart or Charlton Heston.