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To End All Wars

To End All Wars

2001117 minRMidcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Director
David L. Cunningham
Starring
Ciarán McMenamin, Robert Carlyle, Kiefer Sutherland, Mark Strong

Based on a real-life story, this drama focuses on a small group of Allied soldiers in Burma who are held captive by the Japanese. Capt. Ernest Gordon, Lt. Jim Reardon and Maj. Ian Campbell are among the military officers kept imprisoned and routinely beaten and deprived of food. While Campbell wants to rebel and attempt an escape, Gordon tries to take a more stoic approach, an attitude that proves to be surprisingly resonant.

Where to watch

Where can I watch To End All Wars?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists To End All Wars streaming on Peacock, Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about To End All Wars?

To End All Wars earns 6 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Before they were famous.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is To End All Wars worth watching?

To End All Wars' Midcredits score is the 78th percentile of all films, from 15K ratings across 4 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

78th percentile

Better received than 78% of films

88th percentile among Action76th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)72nd
Approval (how many liked it)81st

68 /100

72nd percentile of all films

85th percentile among Action71st percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

72% liked it

81st percentile of all films

87th percentile among Action79th percentile among 2000s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Critics 62% · Audience 85%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 4 noms overall

87th percentile

15K ratings across platforms

77th percentile among Action80th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 15% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$14M

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a sincere, message-driven drama about the Burma Railway POW experience that prioritizes spiritual and philosophical themes over spectacle or action.

Fans praised

  • powerful story of forgiveness, redemption, and hope amid brutality
  • strong performances from Carlyle, Sutherland, McMenamin, and Strong
  • realistic portrayal of Japanese POW camp horrors without glorification

Detractors panned

  • heavy-handed Christian messaging and moralizing narration
  • unconvincing, healthy-looking actors and sanitized conditions
  • clichéd, predictable script with weak character development

What stands out

Acting80

Carlyle, Sutherland, McMenamin, and Strong praised; some call cast uneven or wasted

Emotional impactDivisive75

Many fans deeply moved to tears; detractors see forced sentimentalism

AtmosphereDivisive65

Immersive jungle camp setting conveys oppression; detractors note lack of constant danger

Tension60

Brutal violence and unpredictability praised; detractors find it ineffective

CharactersDivisive55

Fans find depth and transformation; detractors see underdeveloped, clichéd arcs

Plot and storyDivisive50

Story structure described as disjointed, slow, and episodic by detractors

DialogueDivisive50

Literate and philosophical to fans; preachy and unsubtle to detractors

OriginalityDivisive40

Familiar POW genre clichés, derivative of Bridge on the River Kwai

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 14 points higher than men.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is To End All Wars like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and uplifting: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be moved and come out lifted.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and uplifting.

Moods
TenseMelancholicCathartic
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film presents the horrors of the POW camp with unflinching gravity while underscoring the possibility of forgiveness.
The rideThe film maintains sustained tension and gloom until the final act, where the prisoners' turn to forgiveness brings a release and catharsis.
StructureThe story is told in chronological order from capture to liberation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film’s emphasis on forgiveness and the real-life reconciliation leaves the viewer with both a call to reflection and a sense of hope.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe film follows the emotional and spiritual transformation of prisoners who choose forgiveness over vengeance, a classic rebirth arc.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% (this title) · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Forgiveness · 1% of filmsSurvivalHope · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film's explicit theme is the power of forgiveness to liberate both the forgiver and the forgiven, even in the midst of extreme suffering.
StanceThe film clearly celebrates the power of forgiveness, framing it as a triumphant choice that transcends suffering; the focus is on Captain Gordon's personal journey.

The world

Mid 20th centuryWildernessRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · John Cameron
SettingJapanese prisoner-of-war camp in the Burmese jungle during World War II
MusicThe score is solemn and epic, echoing the themes of endurance and redemption.

Content guide

Is To End All Wars okay for kids?

R

To End All Wars is rated R: “Rated R for war violence and brutality, and for some language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (79/100), sexual content at minimal (13/100), language at moderate (54/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (22/100) and frightening material at intense (78/100). Its language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 7 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaR
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Greece15
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 63%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 7%
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (6 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (46 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does To End All Wars have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in To End All Wars?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Ciarán McMenamin
as Capt. Ernest 'Ernie' Gordon
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Robert Carlyle
as Maj. Ian Campbell
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kiefer Sutherland
as Lt. Jim 'Yankee' Reardon
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mark Strong
as Dusty Miller
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Yûgo Sasô
as Takashi Nagase
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Sakae Kimura
as Sgt. Ito
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
James Cosmo
as Lt. Col. Stuart McLean
Masayuki Yui
as Capt. Noguchi
John Gregg
as Camp Doctor Coates
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Shû Nakajima
as Nagatomo
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like To End All Wars?

Movies like To End All Wars include The Railway Man (2013), End of the Spear (2005) and The Shawshank Redemption (1994). Of the 12 closest matches, half are prison dramas, and several are war films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

4 of these 12 share its subject: forgiveness. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with To End All Wars?

682 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: prison drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.