10 Years Later, Steven Spielberg\’s Cold War Masterpiece Remains Completely Flawless

Cold War
movies
Have consistently been popular in Hollywood since the war initially started. As World War II neared its end, the demand for propaganda films began to decrease, allowing Western-themed productions to gain prominence. Nevertheless, the appetite for World War II stories persisted among viewers, leading studios to continue making these films. While peace was sought after, it lacked appeal for cinema-goers compared to conflict narratives. With the outbreak of another major conflict, Hollywood seized the chance to create compelling tales from this fresh arena, aiming to engage audiences with the same enthusiasm they showed during earlier wartime dramas.

1949\’s
The Third Man
portrayed the onset of the Cold War and would introduce

a new age for Hollywood

. After its release, a slow trickle began as more Cold War movies began to appear in theaters. 1950\’s
Highly Dangerous
, 1952\’s
The Hunter
, and 1952\’s
Big Jim McLain
were among the eldest in the queue and would ultimately be followed by classic films, including
The Manchurian Candidate
(1962),
Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Cease Worrying And Embrace The Bomb
(1964), and
WarGames
(1983). Contemporary Cold War movies still grab viewers\’ interest, as
The Death of Stalin
(2017) and
Oppenheimer
In 2023, these works were well-received by audiences. As expected, with renowned director Steven Spielberg at the helm, the Cold War genre achieved unprecedented levels of success approximately a decade back.

Steven Spielberg Continues to Be Among the Finest Contemporary Directors

He Continues To Astound To This Day

With Spielberg at the head of any movie, it was guaranteed to draw significant attention. After all, he remains one of the
best directors of the modern age
, and he has the portfolio to prove it. While Spielberg\’s first movie was the overlooked
Duel
(1971), he quickly managed to find financial success with 1974\’s
The Sugarland Express
. Even so, the director sought an even more enticing film that would captivate audiences. He found it in 1975\’s
Jaws
, as the disaster movie

earned over $475 million ($2.9 billion today) on a $9 million budget ($55 million today)

. It was a runaway success that was nearly unprecedented, and it began an incredible run for the young director.

He quickly went on to develop several classic movies,

directing
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
(1977),
Raiders of the Lost Ark
(1981),
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
(1982), and
The Color Purple
(1985). By the 1990s, he was already legendary, and he was more than willing to improve that already-glowing reputation. He would go on to direct
Jurassic Park
and
Schindler\’s List
in the same year in 1993, before ending the decade with
Saving Private Ryan
in 1998. He followed that era with
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
(2001) and
Minority Report
(2002), and he has remained active ever since. His recent movies include
Munich
(2005),
Lincoln
(2012),
Ready Player One
(2018), and
West Side Story
(2021). While all of these movies are certainly incredible, one of his best came in 2015 and redefined Cold War movies.

Bridge of Spies Was Spielberg\’s Masterpiece

It Stays Highly Exciting From Start to Finish

If Spielberg experienced significant artistic triumph during the 2010s, it was then
Bridge of Spies
(2015) Starring Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, this dramatic film recounts the real-life assignment of James B. Donovan to rescue two U.S. citizens held captive in the Soviet Union, trading them for the imprisoned spy Rudolf Abel, played by Mark Rylance.

The film starts off as a legal thriller.

However, it swiftly transforms into a intricate tapestry of political machinations that relies heavily on Spielberg’s exceptional direction. While Donovan\’s effort to prevent Abel\’s execution starts off as intensely gripping, the conclusion elevates it to an all-out epic scale. The Coen brothers undoubtedly contributed significantly to this success with their involvement, having collaborated with first-time screenwriter Matt Charman to produce the remarkable script.

Thanks to their collaborative work, the film ended up earning $165.5 million at the box office. This figure represented a moderate return considering Spielberg’s status; however, it remained a clear win when compared with its $40 million production cost. Most significantly, this demonstrated that Spielberg can handle various settings and genres adeptly, transforming a suspenseful legal drama into a spy-centric thriller while recounting true events. The picture succeeded not only in captivating general viewers but also in garnering critical acclaim, underscoring its brilliance.

\”Bridge of Spies\” Receives Critical Acclaim

It Keeps Its Favorable Ratings

Similar to his other creations,
Bridge of Spies
swiftly achieved broad recognition. 2015\’s
Spotlight
and
Mad Max: Fury Road
diminished some of the brilliance, but
Bridge of Spies
managed to carve out its own place when it was time to collect accolades. The film received six Academy Award nominations, one of which was for Best Picture, and it

ultimately won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor

For Mark Rylance’s performance as Rudolf Abel, the film received nine nominations at the British Academy Film Awards. There, Rylance secured the movie’s only victory once more. The film has consistently excelled on Rotten Tomatoes and remains highly regarded to this day.

The film boasts an impressive 91% Tomatometer rating, with audience reviews also being highly favorable at 87% on the Popcorn meter. Reviewers lauded the realistic storyline, the well-developed characters, and the powerful theme of discovering humaneness even among adversaries.

Some uncommon negative critiques popped up.

, yet they mostly pointed out the absence of action in a film that did not try to be as action-intensive as
Adventurers of the Hidden Ark
This film was designed to stay true to real life, and Spielberg effectively conveyed this intent. Despite being released a decade ago, the narrative continues to be just as engaging today.

While
Spielberg\’s pace has declined
in recent years,
Bridge of Spies
served as evidence that his remarkable bond with audiences remains unbroken. Much like how he captivated spectators before.
Jaws
, he successfully transformed a legal thriller into an engaging two-hour journey featuring a remarkably authentic protagonist. Beyond his skills as a filmmaker, this legal narrative resonated strongly with contemporary societal trends, making it progressively more pertinent. Amidst the rising global tensions,

the message behind
Bridge of Spies
has never been more crucial

This is a movie that could easily premiere now and might leave an even stronger impression on audiences compared to when it first came out. This cinematic triumph still echoes strongly 10 years post its debut, serving as another testament to Spielberg being among the finest active filmmakers around.