"With a more sincere and impassioned display of intensity, this could have been a classic..."

It seems somewhat odd that Petter Naess Second World War drama Cross of Honour has gone relatively unnoticed, barely being publicised and subject to a rather modest, limited release, as with a strong lead cast - consisting the likes of Rupert Grint and David Kross - and telling an emotional and gripping tale, here is an example of a film that deserves to be made a fuss of.

We follow two groups of soldiers - one German, one English - who shoot each other down in the  hazardous, freezing cold Norwegian wilderness. The survivors from both sides of the attack congregate together at the same - and only - isolated cabin, where they must all learn to live together in order to survive, as one night out in the open will lead to an unpleasant, and certain death.

The German's - Leutnant Horst Schopis (Florian Lukas), Josef (Kross) and Strunk (Stig Henrik Hoff) outnumber the two Brits Captain Charles P. Davenport (Lachlan Nieboer) and Gunner Robert Smith (Grint), therefore dictating the rules and regulations of living alongside their bitter enemies under one roof. However, as time progresses this small group of soldiers soon discover they have more in common with their enemies than they had given them credit for, and this potentially fateful situation could soon prove to be the start of an unlikely friendship.

Cross of Honour mostly takes place in just the one confined set, yet any initial fears of claustrophobia are soon dispelled thanks to the sharp dialogue and impressive acting on show. However Naess does struggle to implement an intensity, which a film such as this desires. Given the narrative this should be gripping and incredibly difficult to watch - think the opening sequence from Inglourious Basterds for example - yet any such tenseness is non-existent. You always feel too at ease, which shouldn't be the case at all. Naess seems to care more about appeasing a broad audience rather than fully deal with the matter at hand.

However where Naess does excel fantastically, is within the portrayal of the futility of war. Cross of Honour provokes an array of intriguing emotions as it's devised in a way that makes you feel empathy for all involved. Of course inherently we back the English, but you can't help but like and admire the German soldiers, seeing them all for who they are as individuals, rather than simply judging them on their uniforms, as we grow to like them as people. We are made to feel like the British soldiers do in that respect, actually able to see above the war for one moment and treat people as, well, people. Fair play to Naess in that regard, as any film maker who actually makes you feel sorry for Nazi's should be commended.

The performances across the board are all impressive also, as all five of our protagonists continue to not fully trust one another for the vast majority of this movie. I had been worried it was going to be all happy families with cuddles in the cabin kitchen, but alas there is an underlying incertitude and suspicion that remains throughout.

Grint has does well in proving there is life for himself after Harry Potter - joining both Daniel Radcliffe (The Woman in Black) and Emma Watson (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) in moving on swiftly and successfully. If Grint wants to avoid typecasting in the future and purely being known as Ron Weasley, then playing a brash Scouse soldier in a WW2 movie is certainly the right way to go about it.

Cross of Honour is an enjoyable watch, and although in most cases that would be an endorsement, the very fact it's a somewhat pleasant experience is what proves to be it's undoing, as with a more sincere and impassioned display of intensity, this could have been a classic. Or at the very least, found itself being advertised and promoted at bus shelters.