People are voting emotionally.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

I'm not one of those who get my history from films (or think I know a book because I saw the film it's based on) but if you're going to put such a tagline at the beginning of a film make sure there's some semblance of truth to it. Fiction from the beginning: 101st Airborne were not at the Malmedy Massacre, did not take place in the massacre and pretty much, in my opinion, insults the mainly 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion who were. There are little nitpicks, of course, but that's huge. It's like the film U- 571 saying it was the American Navy who got the first Enigma machine when that was total fiction when in fact the HMS Bulldog of Britain's Royal Navy got the first one in 1941, and the US Navy only got one and that was in 1944 well after the British had already cracked the code. That's the biggest problem with American films such as these: they always have to be the heroes but not just the heroes: the first heroes, the ultimate heroes etc., everyone else pales in comparison (I'm American, by the by). There's a difference between being patriotic and just claiming patriotism that was never there to begin with.The only evidential events in this is the battles and places they mention; everything else is speculation and fiction for other purposes. Which is fine but be honest about it, at least. According to the commentary of the film on what actually is true are insignificant things (two guys of the same religion on different sides -- so what? It's like all Nazis were atheists, or something? -- a German POW made his food look like an angel: again: like all Nazis or Waffen-SS etc., were atheists? -- some US soldiers hid under a floor while Germans ate above them. So what? You know how many Jews during the war did that?) This film sure isn't about the Malmedy Massacre because that's that's over in the first five minutes. So, what is this film about? Four (or five) guys try to get to Allied lines without getting captured by the Germans. No. It's not about that. Oh, they got some intelligence by a British pilot they run into and must get that to the allies! No. Not about that, either. So what is it about? It's about the Mormon church (LDS) promoting Mormonism. That's what it's about. Now while it's finely thinned, not directly mentioned it is there and mainly with the main character who carries around his Book of Mormon (not the OT/NT Bible) and attempts to vainly convert another of the four who keeps pushing him away until the very end when he takes it from him at last. No more being a godless heathen atheist but now sees the light and becomes a Mormon, per sé. I'm sure that's the ultimate message.Eh, as an overall film: it wasn't that bad but it gets, at least from me, major points taken away by not displaying the actual battalion because, I feel, that does a disservice to those who not only died but also survived.

I always enjoy films about the Battle of the Bulge. It was the worst of times for Americans in the entire European war, so this battle always provides special opportunities for extra---but realistic---plot tension. When it's about the Battle of the Bulge, we never know whether our characters will be rubbed out, taken prisoner, taken prisoner, then rubbed out, tangle with clever Germans wearing the wrong uniforms (who also speak perfect English and know who won the World Series) or whether our heroes will just manage to hang on against a terrible whipping in awful weather. All of these elements make this a particularly rich venue for wartime drama.This movie was apparently shot for less than a million dollars, but it's a far better film than that modest budget would suggest. Even with unknown actors, it takes real skill to put a period piece with special effects on the screen for that amount of money. Nice cinematography. The weapons and the uniforms all look correct and the acting is decent.I would not be bashful to recommend this film to a stranger and would be happy to watch it again.

Having not read the book, I will say that this movie was very good. True, it wasn't as good as Band of Brothers, but still superb. One thing I loved was that the entire movie went without one F word. I disagree with the reviewer who said it had Mormon overtones. Not one thing in the movie mentioned any religion, so I don't understand why he/she thought that it did. One character served a mission and taught a family. Many religions send missionaries abroad to teach. He's also seen reading scriptures. Many people do. And, if I was ever in a war and behind enemy lines, I'd sure be doing some praying myself. Great film. I wish more script writers would find other adjectives than the F word.

I was engrossed in this film from the first minute. I am very impressed with Little's avoidance of the stereotypical "All Nazis bad, Allied forces good" non-sense. He does a brilliant job of showing that war has many faces, and tattooed across all those faces is regret - regret that they are they, regret they are not at home with loved ones, regret for what they must do and what they have done.Previous reviewers mention religion, citing this movie sways viewers towards certain belief systems. I did not feel that way at all. Rather, the characters in this film are exposed to such discussion of philosophy to promote acceptance across borders, regardless of uniform. If there's any underlying philosophical message, it's that things happen for a reason, and in war, it is especially important to believe such. It is an attempt to maintain sanity in times of great trauma and hardship.The production and photography was immersing, the film editing and sound design was masterful, and the acting was brave, elicited by a keen director. I'm no expert on WWII, so I'm sure there were some factual errors made on such a modest budget, but I felt for every one of these characters.