TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews It's near the end of WWII. In a small border village, seven 16-year-old schoolboys are conscripted as the front moves ever closer. They're made to defend the small local bridge. There are also subplots that add nothing but screen time. This uses very little of the material available, and its 100 minute running time, or 96 and a half without end credits, drags at many points. Characterization is less of a priority than illicit material. Maybe they figured they'd need something to wake the audience up. So every so often, there's nudity, sexuality, or war violence. Even though none of it leads to anything.Franka Potente is an international film star. So once they had her, they expanded her role from the previous versions of this story, combined several characters, and increased her presence. It amounts to nothing. See, before, it was different people, related to the teens, all individually trying to get them out of the war. They don't succeed, because that's what's accurate. When you have just one person doing that, and failing repeatedly, it gets to be annoying to watch. She doesn't even get closure. One scene has the crush of one of the boys take a similar role, and I swear, it's purely so that there's at least *one* other doing some of that. Where are the parents? They're such a strong element in the 1959 movie. Everyone in the military in this are incompetent, and basically every adult German is a monster. This from the same country who, rightly, made us understand Adolf Hitler, himself?I recommend this purely to those who are too curious to stay away. 3/10

Horst in Translation ([email protected]) And the reason is probably that the Oscar nominated original movie is so much appreciated. This remake was made in 2008 (50 years later) for the German television station Pro Sieben and runs for roughly 100 minutes. The writer of the novel that this is based on is still alive, way into his 80s. The director and writer of the remake are as well, which is probably no surprise as this is only seven years old, but for both it was one of the latest projects of a very prolific career. The poster features Franka Potente, but she really has not that much screen time. Of course, they took the chance though to advertise their movie with the star of one of Germany's most famous films of all time. The film is all about the boys, especially about Francois Goeske's character. I have to say I do not really know Goeske. It's one difference compared to the original that this one focuses more on all the boys and this one here mostly on Goeske, also on his relationship with (the stunning) Paula Schramm's character. But that is not a criticism at all. it is actually really difficult to elaborate on a handful of characters in detail in under two hours running time.The cast is mostly unknown. It features a couple actors from the television series "Unter Uns". The plot is basically about a group of young Germans in the final days of World War II who get the task of defending a bridge, so the allied forces cannot conquer it. Many people die and the film is occasionally not easy to watch, but that is actually a pro as the execution is nicely done in my opinion. Also the music was nice and they succeeded in depicting the pointlessness (especially with regard to the ending) and insanity of war. I think they did a fine job in basically using the first half of the film for introductions and for us getting to know the characters and the second half for war action, which I probably preferred over the first half. Also you cannot criticize the makers behind this movie for being uncreative as this is just a remake. The original movie was an adaptation too. it was not written for screen and they actually changed some thing in this 2008 movie and did not make it worse this way in my opinion. Do not be fooled by the usual remake haters. This is a very watchable film and I recommend it.

kb3111 The people who made this awful remake should hide and shame. As a German shortly born after the war I saw the original as a boy and that movie has made a lasting impact on me and I have never ever seen a war movie or shall we say a Anti war movie better than the ORIGINAL "Die Brücke". This remake should be burn and forgotten IT IS AWFUL nd waste of time. Look for the original instead. The remake does not even come close to the time it happens, the feeling is all wrong The love story it total out of place and out of context. Even the language is not the language or use of the language during that period of time. Have you ever seen the original "Die Brücke" you will laugh about this stupid remake.

flobersold ... consider it an accident and look for the - really impressive - original! You will spare yourself quite a lousy piece of love story and war action rudely looted from the heritage of the 50's version by Bernhard Wicki. Even Hollywood barely could do worse twisting historical facts and life stories into some sort of spectacular fireworks performed by characters who don't really deserve this description. Good war movies (such as the original one!) should include the stories of the human beings involved, narrated in an empathic way thus helping the viewer to understand or at least imagine how it might have come to all the cruelty - and maybe even how it could be overcome. Otherwise there will be sown rather fascination than consternation. The next war will come too soon anyway. 2/10 just because of occasionally good acting (esp. by the soldier boys) and seemingly accurate requisites (uniforms, armory...).