Son of a WWI vet, I found this very disappointing. Firstly, it gave a sanitised depiction of trench warfare, further weakened by a schmaltzy and improbable romantic sub-plot and, despite decent performances in the lead roles, a set of caricatured minor characters from central casting(noble priest, slimy bishop,comic-relief Ponchel)and plodding direction - not to mention poor lip-synching of the singers and, as so often, overlit night scenes and unrealistic snow! The essential point - the futility of war - was made in a didactic rather than dramatic way, so that some of the schoolkids in the audience when I saw it were visibly bored. For a multinational production with a worthy aim, this was an opportunity missed.
Review of Joyeux Noel
