Die Brücke (2008 TV Movie) User Reviews

Better than the Germans think of it

[Warge · 6/10 · 18 April 2009]

I noticed that all the former comments about this film were a) made by Germans, and b) they all slander it, and for me that has some weight. I don't know any German, so I can't say if the acting was good or bad, but it looked and felt at least pretty good, most of the time.

As a history buff and germanophile (who can't speak the language - perish the thought!) I found this film to be quite good in a historical context - and, I was impressed by that the equipment used by both Germans and Americans looked very authentic (with one MAJOR exception for the Americans) apart perhaps that the boys were/looked too old: they were supposed to be 16, and not a single one looked that age. Of course, that's the same thing with 25-year-olds playing high school teens in American films...

From a military point of view, this is also a pretty accurate film: The Germans did use single squads of troopers to defend small tactical objectives, as the bridge in the film. It also shows the devastating power of the Panzerfaust 100, the hand-held tank killer. Very nice, unless you are on the receiving end of it.

The sfx was OK, but absolutely nothing fancy.

However, the film has flaws that were carried over the language barrier, namely a totally unnecessary love plot and a more interesting love plot that would have done well to be better developed. Also, I didn't like that characters just vanished from the story without me getting to know of their departure.

I have to agree with some other comments about the lack of character development - it could definitely be better, that's for certain. Oddly, the best character development was done about some of the elder extras, not the main characters.

The film is also too melodramatic for my liking, so much I began thinking of the Russian film Zvesda which was just as bad in that area. Having the film maker telling me to feel sorry for the protagonists is not the way of scoring a 10 on IMDb.

A Game of Bridge.

[rmax304823 · 5/10 · 10 August 2012]

This is a remake of the 1959 film of the same name. The remake is in wide screen, is in color, has a bigger budget, is gorier, and has an international star in a prominent role.

Yet, I wouldn't say it was better. The original was shorter, more raw and schematic, made its point more clearly, and gave both the Wehrmacht and the American soldiers a bit of humanity. This one meanders around, gives much more time to the Franka Potente character, and spends more time with the American infantrymen. The German soldiers, by and large, get short shrift. They're all a bunch of weaselly cowards or arrogant slobs.

Except, of course, for the handful of high school youngsters who are drafted and immediately assigned to defend a bridge. I was able to keep their identities straight in the first version but not here. After a heroic last stand, which only one of the kids survives, the Amis roll slowly across the body-strewn bridge.

I haven't seen the first version in years but if I remember correctly, the kids don't "lose" the bridge to the Americans. The Americans simply decide to pull out and use their resources elsewhere. When the Wehrmacht tries to destroy the bridge, the surviving kids prevent it.

There is one major difference that rather spoils this remake. In the original, a non-commissioned officer, Gunther Pfitzmann, is assigned to see that the boys get some duty that keeps them out of danger, some out of the way place where they'll be safe. The bridge is supposed to be safe. Pfitzmann is not at all like the fat, loud corporal in this movie. Pfitzmann has a kindly face, full of experience, and the compassionate demeanor to go with it. When he's killed while trying to save the school boys, it's a moving moment captured dramatically.

I didn't particularly mind the extra time given to the international star, Franke Potente. Her attempts to have the kids withdrawn are futile and she doesn't give an especially memorable performance but I don't care. I like her face. She has the kind of features that will last beyond her reproductive period. She'll be great playing old ladies.

The American soldiers don't really have much to say, and what they say is dubbed. I preferred the first version, in which there is a scene that has an American coming out into the open and shouting for the kids to surrender and go back to Kindergarten. KINDERGARTEN! A word that means the same in both German and English and is taken as an insult by one of the more ideologically rabid kids, who then shoots the American, who dies in agony with his intestines exposed. Here, the Americans talk about not wanting to make war on children. In the original, I recall only one such sentiment, brutally expressed: "What are you kids doing in this frigging war anyway?" My judgment is infallible, as my shrink has told me many times. "Your judgment is infallible," he always says, then, "Now please write out the check." Given that infallibility, you can rely on my word when I recommend watching the original, if you can find it anywhere. The director was Bernhard Wicki.

Gets a lot of unfair hate

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 12 May 2015]

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.

Made-for-TV-remake of lowest quality

[naedre · 2/10 · 1 October 2008]

You don't have to know the original to dislike this version of "Die Brücke." It is what its producers wanted it to be: filled with more action and romance than the original, more "modern" (whatever that means), in color and whathaveyounot. What lacks is any sense of reality, any understanding of the time or the people. The romance is unmotivated, that action has no impact at all, and music and slo-mo-shots are overused and abused to imply epic qualities or sadness (passing trucks with wounded German soldiers, dying American tank driver). All in all this looks like a bigger budgeted WWII-film in the vein of the many amateur videos you can see on Youtube, where teenagers dress up in uniforms, wield plastic gun replicas and insert lots of muzzle flash effects over the action scenes.

If you ever happen to get your hands on this one...

[flobersold · 2/10 · 1 October 2008]

... 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...).

Even 30 years ago this would have been a bad movie...

[dixibuster · 3/10 · 29 September 2008]

First of all I want to say that I don't know the original movie, but I think thats not important at all. On the other hand I really hope the original movie is better. The story of 7 teenagers forced to fight in the last desperate days of nazi-germanys battle is a typical German war-film-story. Even thou it is not very impressive, it is still the best of the movie. Complains can be made about pretty much everything in the film, because everything in the film lacks sophistication. the look and the atmosphere of the movie are to clean and it feels to empty. even fighting scenes look boring and bad coordinated. the editing is terrible and features some bad continuity mistakes. the dialogs are flat and meaningless. Acting is behind the average. at no time you believe in the characters. Most characters lack a reasonable background story and side-stories that occur don't add to the characters deep at all. in general they are useless, because they don't add to the film except for the duration. the side-plots can be ignored. overall this film is unimportant, badly made and lacks in all important aspects of film-making. If you want to deal with the topic of youth in Nazi-Germany and how it suffered from the fanatical NS-education system, I recommend to see "Napola" instead. that would also spare you from some ridiculous fighting scenes...

Boys Battle for Bridge

[brickley220 · 7/10 · 15 May 2011]

I did not realise that this was a TV remake of Berhard Wicki's 1959 classic 'Die Brucke' especially as the cover was more misleading than a James Bond movie and the credits stated that the screenplay was based upon a book by Gregor Dorfmeister (Wicki's masterpiece credited a novel by Manfred Gregor). In fact it was a remake of 'Die Bruck' albeit with the additional sub-plots of a sexual nature. I also was impressed with the attention to detail on the equipment employed and care taken with the Production set and design. Whilst it was not quite the work of art displayed by the 1959 version it was acceptable and fairly realistic. Indeed I thought that it was very well made and was to Feature Film standard. I am still working on identifying some of the kit used but it was all believable for the period. Despite the reliance upon Franke Potente as the main international 'Name' in the cast, the casting was very good and all of the characters were believable and did a grand job in telling this sad tale. I do not believe that most fans of this genre will be too disappointed with this well made little tale of the futility of war.

Gross horrible remake of a great movie o.o"

[happosai21 · 1/10 · 29 September 2008]

I finished watching the movie just 10 minutes ago and i have to say I'm speechless and shocked about this horrible caricature of the great 1958 movie "Die brücke". Im actually that shocked that i had to call a friend while watching it and look it up on IMDb to see about any commentary or review of it but there was no comment yet so i feel the urgent need to speak out my opinion about this 2 hours wastes time of my life that will never come back. First of all the German characters. the boy which should protect the bridge are grossly stupid and act like idiots (attend to throw brown-shirt from the bridge). almost all characters, especially German soldiers are caricatures of the stereotypical "evil Nazi soldier" and not humans. dialogs try to be meaningful in a pathetic way. but funny sometimes but not because they are intended to be funny. just because they are so horrendously atrocious. to me this seems like the script was written by totally far from any reality living 8th grade students which had to write a political correct theater-play for school. the action scenes are cartoonish, lack any realism (the 1958 version is far superior about that. watch both and decide for yourself), poorly cut and more funny than scary or sad. but i have to admit that equipment and uniforms are well done and mostly historical correct, except the Russian T-72 tank as American Sherman double. this movie is is exactly your intellectual level if you like the "bildzeitung" and love TV-shows like "punkt12", "sam" or "taff". (germans know what i mean o.o) otherwise go and see the 1958 version of the movie "die brücke"

Awful

[kb3111 · 15 October 2011]

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.

Not Bad, not good

[Patrick Tews · 7/10 · 5 October 2008]

Hi "dixibuster", you should see the original version, which is not 30, but almost 50 years old and one of the classical and best movies in German movie history.

This remake is a well-meant try to bring this serious issue to todays's younger generation. Clear, it's nothing in comparison to Dennis Gansels "Napola", but it's o.k. And if the remake brings some of the audience of the younger generation to see Bernard Wickis original from 1959, then I think it has fulfilled his service.

But one thing I must add: Main Character Francois Göske shows also here, that he's one of the most talented young actors in Germany. With his extremely physically acting he will have a great movie career !

Childish propaganda disguised as realism

[RichardvonLust · 2/10 · 5 October 2012]

Don't worry about reading the spoilers: the film was spoiled before it was ever made.

During the last days of WW2 a small riverside town in Germany is threatened by advancing US forces. Overzealous local officials press a class of schoolboys into uniform in a last ditch attempt to protect the bridge long enough for retreating German units. But then the story turns into absurdity.

Within a few hours of recruitment the boys are treated like criminals hounded and abused by older soldiers and officers who apparently have absolutely no regard for these kids at all. Every single adult German male under the age of 90 (excepting the schoolmaster) is depicted as overbearing, abusive, aggressive, selfish, depraved or simply drunken.

This production is an utter insult to German war veterans who are depicted here as monsters. It perpetuates the propaganda that every single Nazi official was sub human and that the Germans are highly susceptible to control by lunatics.

Even the Americans are ridiculously portrayed. A fighter plane spots a young couple by the river and sprays them with bullets. The pilot even returns for another attempt when he misses them. A bomber pilot spots the boys on the bridge and discharges a 2 ton bomb in an effort to clear them. The fact that the bridge might be useful for his own advancing troops never occurs to him.

The advancing column has a single tank which once destroyed has no backup to take out the defenders. An entire company of trained soldiers is quite unable to deal with 6 schoolboys who have made themselves a simple dug out behind a small wall. A few grenades or mortars would have finished the boys in ten minutes but after a two day engagement in which the Americans lose at least 5 soldiers they eventually pull back for reinforcements.

But it gets worse. The boys are portrayed by actors as old as 23 and only one has a voice remotely like a 16 year old. They all speak and behave just like 21st century lads who have just had a night on the city club scene rather than simple country schoolboys from the time of their grandfathers. One of them even uses American style yells of joy when killing a soldier. The only trained lad amongst them (who had been to Napola military school) blows himself up because he doesn't know how to check safety catches on anti tank rockets.

And when told to withdraw so another unit can destroy the bridge and thereby delay the advance these fantasy kids aim their guns at their own comrades in an attempt to continue their mission to protect it. Rather than arresting them, the German unit, obviously beaten by two insane schoolboys, simply abandons the bridge and sprays them with bullets as they leave.

The original 1959 version is a masterpiece of German cinema. Every reader is recommended to watch it. But this remake is simply a waste of your time unless such propaganda has any appeal.

Surprisingly well detailed

[Shaolin_Apu · 8/10 · 25 March 2010]

The original Die Brücke could be that much appreciated work of art that the fact alone presents too many demands for any conceivable remake. I however found this one surprisingly good, and it certainly was not as bad as some people have claimed it to have been. Why to make just similar movie again?

Seven poorly trained schoolboys are given a mission to hold out against a strategically important bridge. Germany has a lack of manpower by spring 1945, schoolboys fight alongside with old men: the last remaining reserves of the Reich . And the boys are too young to grasp the hopelessness of the situation, unlike their leader who runs away. Movie doesn't anywhere show that the boys were ever trained, but apparently they have some basic training because they can assemble and use several weapons and they can move under cover.

Seven schoolboys hold out against seasoned American troops? Given that they have a good position with effective weaponry (plus the suggested basic training), and the American commander does not want to fight against children, they possibly could even make it. Weapon freaks will notice hereby a plentiness of rarely seen ww2 equipment, save for the one tank whose type I didn't recognize. Some effects are rather lame too, but I have seen worse and have still forgiven them. I give a relatively high rating because I didn't suffer as much watching it than these boys depicted.

Different from the original and attuned to young viewers today.

[elcoat · 7/10 · 15 September 2023]

Strange opening. By this time of the war, the Germans well knew not to go anywhere in a vehicle in broad daylight. I was expecting an aerial massacre of those civilians in the truck.

And I cannot imagine the USAAF wasting ammo on a young couple on a country road.

Someone pointed out how pretty the little young girl was/is. Actress Paul Schramm is 5-1 !. Hopefully, she's a mother of equally beautiful little children by now.

The original was discreet about - didn't waste time on - sex. It did show better how vicious "authorities" become with their impending defeat.

The film was sympathetic to the GIs who with one exception were just the enemy in the original. And I was astonished to see an original American M4 Sherman tank in this one, although the cardboard version did have the essence of the tank.

But I strongly doubt veteran GIs would have bunched up like that. Amazing, most all of them weren't mowed down by the MG42 in the first 700rpm burst. And they would have immediately moved to flank the position, and they would have thrown a blizzard of grenades.

The "battle" would have been over in 5 minutes.

In comparison to the original, in this one the corporal was deserting, and the German MPs aren't so vilified for killing him. The boy-and-girl-happy-ever-after was different from the original, which is best viewed in its black and white.

More Westerners should see this, and then maybe we would be more for ending the Ukraine War ... unconditionally and stopping tragedy like this.

It did hold my interest.

Set back 50 years

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 3/10 · 31 December 2016]

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