ryko25 One would have thought that it would be impossible to produce a poor film with such a star-studded cast, yet inexperienced Irish director Mary McGuckian manages to pull it off. And "poor" does not quite hit th mark, this film is almost criminal in the way these (brilliant) actors are squandered on a dull script with turgid pacing. I watched for the first half an hour trying to work out if it was a "Spinal Tap" type joke which I wasn't getting. There is beautiful scenery, there are beautiful costumes, there is some of the finest talent ever assembled on screen and yet...if you aren't weeping with boredom within twenty minutes you must have zen-like stamina. Avoid like a medieval plague.

raymond-15 The story centres around an event that took place in Peru when five people crossing a rope bridge fell to their death. The question then arose.......Was it a chance happening OR was it an act of God? Brother Juniper a man of the cloth attacks the problem in a factual way by door knocking the friends and relatives of the victims and compiling a biography of each individual in the hope that all five may have something in common. When the resultant volume fell into the hands of the Spanish Inquisition, Brother Juniper was found guilty of heresy and subsequently burnt at the stake with all his books.Early in the story we see the swinging bridge high up above a treacherous looking ravine. It is quite ominous and frightening. I for one would never dare to cross it.Thornton Wilder's story of the five victims who for various reasons were in the party ready for the crossing is really heavy going. I watched the DVD a second time for a better understanding, but with no English sub-titles I missed a lot of the dialogue. Basically the film covers the cross examination of Brother Juniper's activities with flashbacks showing details of the lives of the victims. I am not sure if it was the script or the poor editing but I got terribly confused with the characters at times. Robert de Niro as the Catholic Archbishop was unrelentless in his pursuit of the confiscation of the observations recorded by Brother Juniper. The Church he said was built on steadfast faith on which Brother Juniper seemed to cast doubt and should therefore die..Costuming and sets were excellent. I found the linking of the scenes somewhat haphazard and consequently difficult to follow. The final scene in which the frayed ropes of the bridge finally give way is utterly terrifying as we watch the travelers drop to their death in the waters at the base of the ravine. We knew it was about to happen as the tight ropes begin to split and open but at what precise moment the bridge will snap keeps us on the edge of our seat. . I give an extra mark for this scene.Summing up, a good subject but needs to be retold in a more expert manner.

tsennekikke I was influenced by the rating 4.9 out of 10 - so, I didn't expect much of it.However I gave it a 10/10, simply because it's a magnificent movie, well acted, good story, and beautiful music.I have to admit that's it not a movie for everyone...It has such a deep meaning - especially about the subject Love - that this movie won't reach the hearts of those who never ever had a taste of it.It also gives us a viewpoint in regards to the meaning of life. It takes us into another dimension and shows us the bridge between the living and the dead.In any case: if you think you're ready for it... watch the movie - give it a try. You might love it!

kevino-4 Books can be tough to film unless they are straightforward stories, as "The Godfather" or "Lonesome Dove". "The Bridge of San Luis Rey", besides being written in a gorgeous, simple, lyrical style, has an inner faucet of irony that drips nearly all the way through. We are looking into a world that we are allowed to feel above, but that we are gradually drawn into by the sufferings and humanity of the characters, till quiet thunder explodes in perhaps the most memorable closing lines in American Literature. That would not be easy to film. The first question a director must ask, narrative or no narrative?. To add narrative allows that overview that is irony but can detract from reality of the scenes reducing their emotional impact. To go without forces a more linear stream that loses that overview and is tricky, requiring balance and intuition to arrive at the ending with impact. I'm afraid the director lacked either quality, or was so intimidated by the star laden cast that she bowed to their wishes. At any rate the movie isn't much short of travesty, telling neither a fathomable story or creating a mythic quality that might have replaced it. It is splashy, disjointed, and incoherent. If you haven't read the book please don't judge it by this movie. "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" is one of the finest works in the language. The movie, for all its good intentions, fails in just about every way of expressing what the book is about.