The Railway Man

[claire]

Anyone off to see this in shepherds bush tonight?

[hlm]

It was slow moving in parts but overall it was very engaging and thought provoking about relationships and forgiveness.

[claire]

Was really looking forward to this after reading fantastic reviews
Little disappointed, maybe would have enjoyed more if I didn't read other views first!

First half hour I found dragged a lot and wasn't helped by 2 people behind me who kept talking!!

After that it picked up a little. But I won't be recommending this to everyone. Just a few that I think will enjoy.
Some of the beating scenes were done very well (if that right way of saying it ). I saw quite a few hiding their faces at them.

6/10 from me. Wouldn't see again though

[millwall]

Really good film. 9/10

[LondonCityNights]

I thought it was pretty dull sorry. It got better towards the end, but I rapidly got sick of shots of a miserable Colin Firth mopily staring out to sea. Once he headed to Thailand in the last act it got a lot better.

Also, using waterboarding as the ultimate torture he was subjected to draws some rather odd connections to modern torture techniques that I don't think the film thinks all the way through. Ultimately the film seems to function as a lesson to modern victims of torture by British/American forces to forgive US for the crimes we inflicted upon them. I think it's a bit confused.

Here's my full thoughts:

http://www.londoncitynights.com/2013/12 ... ed-by.html

★★★

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Was really looking forward to this after reading fantastic reviews
Little disappointed, maybe would have enjoyed more if I didn't read other views first!

First half hour I found dragged a lot and wasn't helped by 2 people behind me who kept talking!!

After that it picked up a little. But I won't be recommending this to everyone. Just a few that I think will enjoy.
Some of the beating scenes were done very well (if that right way of saying it ). I saw quite a few hiding their faces at them.

6/10 from me. Wouldn't see again though

Yeah, that's problem with reading reviews before seeing a film which I try not to and just get a general gist by reading first lines and last lines of posts. Even the damn trailer has put me off seeing the film at all as it gives away the whole damn story away and I think I can guess what the whole thing is about and how it will end...well the ending might go in different ways but the message of the film looks pretty damn obvious. Let me guess, peace in forgiveness, something along that lines?

Anyway, glad you enjoyed it despite knowing a bit too much, ignore my little cynicism.

[scootermcc]

I thought it was pretty dull sorry. It got better towards the end, but I rapidly got sick of shots of a miserable Colin Firth mopily staring out to sea. Once he headed to Thailand in the last act it got a lot better.

Also, using waterboarding as the ultimate torture he was subjected to draws some rather odd connections to modern torture techniques that I don't think the film thinks all the way through. Ultimately the film seems to function as a lesson to modern victims of torture by British/American forces to forgive US for the crimes we inflicted upon them. I think it's a bit confused.

Here's my full thoughts:

http://www.londoncitynights.com/2013/12 ... ed-by.html

★★★

Funny enough whilst watching the Films torture scene comparisons to "Zero Dark Thirty" came to mind.

[RevKeith39]

Very intense film, moving in the extreme at times. Based on a true story, so it's difficult to nit-pick with elements of the plot...but here goes!
The opening scenes of 'love at first sight' were too quick and implausible. The romance felt rushed. Which then made Firth's character change into a broken man plagued by hallucinations out of the blue. Would it have occured only after courtship and marriage? The war scenes were excellent but the confrontation with his torturer felt very contrived. Mention has been made of link between torture in WW2 and modern waterboarding techniques. If it was true, it just goes to show how little human nature has changed. Acting was uniformly excellent; special mention to Nicole Kidman for her great understatement in a tricky role.

9/10

[karenlg123]

I have to say that (imho) this is quite simply one of the best films of the year. The fact that it was a true story just made it even better. Jeremy Irvine playing the young Lomax was exceptional. Not many movies make me well up, but at the end of this both my father and myself had a tear in our eyes. Brilliant. 10/10

[scootermcc]

Didn't think much of this,thought that it was slow and at times boring.

Here's my review:

http://www.cinemabang.com/new-reviews.php

4/10