kluseba I enjoyed watching the two part television series about the Colditz Castle even though I have known better escape movies such as "Papillon" or "The Shawshank Redemption" and even though the melodramatic love and treachery stories were rather predictable and some historical details had not been taken into consideration. There were also some things that I would have liked to see further developed such as the escape at the beginning of the movie, the death of the electrician and the fate of Sawyer but these things are only details.I think that this movie got too many severe reviews on this side as the actors do some great efforts and the movie succeeds to keep the pace and attention quite high over more than three hours. I liked the fact that the plot spent some time on developing the different characters and the human conflicts which gave a philosophical and moral twist to the movie and treated topics such as desperation, drug abuse, treachery, bribery, love, dreams and freedom. The characters were authentic and diversified. The escape plans were mostly original and quite entertaining and it was good to see that an equal time was spent on the escape story and on the complex love story itself. That's why this movie was rather diversified and mixed action and drama passages with more romantic passages. I think that this dynamical mixture is one of the main factors that carried this good movie on.In the end, if you like historical movies about the world wars or complex escape stories, you might pretty much like this film even if it is not a highlight of the genre. You will though get a well done and very entertaining movie that will make you think and learn a lot about history and life.

kai ringler been wanting to see this one for awhile, the previews looked pretty good, was figuring it would be like the great escape, or papillion, wrong, it's more like cold mountain or pearl harbor. now don't get me wrong this is an interesting movie, with great characters, just i think that the previews and the cover on the DVD are misleading,, this is more of a romance than a war movie, you got the lead character appearing before the war with his sweetie,, doesn't ask her to marry him,, big mistake,, he goes of to war , doesn't see her for a long time,, his buddy escapes the pow camp, and promises the other guy that he will look up his girl,, well without giving anything away, i'm sure you can guess what may happen,, there are many attempted escapes in this movie, i didn't feel that the German officers were very authentic in this movie..

gjwhite65 I'd wish some directors stopped taking the liberty of making a parody of history ( except comedies of course),never mind the performance of actors, locations etc.While I understand the need for drama and romance we all have a duty with the truth. Many POWS were imprisoned in Colditz, they were there for a reason: attempting to escape on several occasions showing an extraordinary resilience, stamina, and sense of duty.Yet the film does its best to soil their memory in the mind of the people who do not know any better.As far as I remember nowhere in the credits the director has the honesty of saying that the story is fiction. LEST WE FORGET.

malcolmgsw I have to disagree strongly with other reviewers.I have had the opportunity of visiting Colditz and talking to inmates of the prison.I have to say that if there was any authenticity in this feeble effort it was more by accident than design.For example when the prisoners are greeted at the camp by the security officer they are told that they will be shot if they try to escape.This is palpably incorrect.The treatment of prisoners was governed by the Geneva convention and this did not permit such a punishment.Prisoners could be shot if they were caught in the act of escaping and refused to surrender.This unfortunately did happen.As for the love story was this written by the ghost of Barbara Cartland.The dialogue was dated 40 years ago.I resent the fact that the exploits of some very brave men were cheapened by this feeble effort.Thankfully It will now sink without a trace so that we still have the evocative feature film to refer back to.