The Tunnel

It is the kind of superbly crafted, intelligent entertainment — a classic suspense thriller — that nowadays is as welcome as it is rare.

Director Roland Suso Richter gives a raw, frank but sophisticated account of the excruciating logistics of this great escape, and the appalling, inspiring blend of betrayal and courage that attended the group's herculean efforts.

A cracking slice of old-fashioned, widescreen entertainment.

Though the film is as long as the escape route, Richter's brisk direction keeps us riveted through the suspenseful finish of his vivid history lesson.

The Tunnel boasts the kind of plot that would seem ridiculously implausible if it weren't based on a true story.

Director Roland Suso Richter maintains tension for 2 1/2 hours, even though the resolution is almost surreal.

Director Roland Suso Richter skillfully wields the wall as a metaphor for isolation, but his pacing needs work: He cuts from an emotional death to a rowdy scene of sex on a kitchen table. Well, that's one way to mourn.