brefane

Bad, clichéd film that tells us nothing we didn't know before including how annoying Tom Hanks can be. Despite plastic surgery Austin Butler resembles Elvis only from certain angles. Glad he didn't win the Oscar because I'm not sure he even deserved to be nominated though he does a good job of imitating Presley's moves. The film is a series of quick cuts and is not the least bit memorable. It's an example of style over substance. The supporting cast makes zero impression and the whole thing feels more like a made4TV film. Glad I didn't waste time to see this in a theater. It was thankfully included with Prime.

I can really only reiterate what others have said about this over-rated, over-long film. The tone and atmosphere seem off from the start as the prisoners arrive, swagger about and case the POW camp like they own the place and ultimately they do. It seems more like a summer camp; everything looks too bright and clean including the prisoners who never have a hair out of place. The film is about as persuasive as Hogan's Heroes and arguably less entertaining. There is no real suspense or tension until the end and the film and characters have no depth. In no way does this film compare to Stalag 17 (1953) or The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). At 3 hours long, I found the film tedious and talky.

Even free with Prime membership this lackluster and boring film is a waste of time that, like its title, feels overlong and extraneous. It's shoddy and feels likes it has been quickly thrown together from scenes deleted from the original which was much more entertaining and managed to be believably spontaneous, enjoyably outrageous and even peculiarly charming. Even the character of Borat has become annoying and unfunny and the often hilarious, liberating bad taste of the original is replaced here with a depressingly sour tone and is more repulsive than amusing. Cohen has seemingly lost his appeal and comedic talent.