Sloppy, but decent.

"Our column has made the farthest advance! We have outrun the other Panzers! The eyes of Germany are on us! The Fuhrer himself will decorate me. We have done it Conrad! We have done it!"

I will never understand why this war film was so heavily pasted by critics and audiences. Battle of the Bulge is a true classic, and stands among some of the finest war movies ever made. Granted it's no-where near perfect, but well made and with good production values.

The film chronicles the battle that took place in December 1944 between the Germans and the Americans. One of the main focuses of the story is the Germans recruiting English-speaking German soldiers to disguise themselves as Americans and parachute behind enemy lines to sabotage the defence.

Like most classic war films, the film also shifts its focus to a host of different characters on both sides of the offensive. I found the production most impressive, as all the uniforms look great, each tank looks accurate and every detail is crafted brilliantly.

There are very good performances all round, including Robert Shaw as a strict German officer, and Henry Fonda as an American who predicts the assault. The battles look most impressive, especially the epic scale (like the number of extras, and the realistic props) but when compared to today's war movies it seems pretty tame in terms of gore.

It all seems very antique, but still stands as a fine movie even by today's standards. The director of The Longest Day, Ken Annakin, does a damn fine job of bringing the film to life. However it wasn't without flaws.

First off, the script felt rather banal at times. I am amazed that all the Germans speak fluent English when planning their attacks and while present in a war room.

Also, the film runs far too long. The dialogue is interesting, but it's not much of a history lesson.

Nonetheless, Battle of the Bulge is a good war film. It's enjoyable and entertaining, but very dated at the same time.

7/10