Defiance (2008)

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Year 1941; World War-II at its height. The Nazis invaded Belarus and swept entire towns of Jews - liquidating and deporting many to concentration camps. "Freedom" was reduced to shreds; yet to reattain, it all began with the act of Defiance Recently orphaned in the carnage, the four Beilski brothers took refuge in the forests; only to know that hundreds like them, were scattered all over. The eldest two - Tuvia and Zus - soon realised that a more concrete settlement would be needed, citing the increasing numbers of their exiles. Makeshift huts came up first, followed by those sneaky "food missions". Thus, those stranded ones grew into an armed brigade ("otriad"). A "communally-functioning-camp", individuals worked for the survival of all while living with the strict rationing in food, medicines, clothes, and even reproduction. Their lives constantly at threat of being caught or killed-in-action, didn't stop the Beilski Otriad to join the resistant Soviet Red Army against the Third Reich.When Jews were considered best at surrendering and dying, that frail clique resisted by living. Moses didn't, but they themselves hand- in-hand parted their waters, with "courage as their ultimate weapon".Good casting choices of Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and the ensemble, to enact a lesser known sequence of events in this biographical-war-drama by Edward Zwick ("Blood Diamonds"), amidst his signature action-choreography and Oscar nominated civil-scoring by James Newton Howard ("The Hunger Games") makes it a fair watch for anyone interested in a different side of history. Rating - 7/10.

What with all the stories told from every faction of WWII and how everybody trounced those pesky Nazi Germans, things can get a bit formulaic! Defiance is a war era drama that takes a different stance, in fact it takes two; standing with one foot in the campgrounds of the Russian Partisans and the other in the camps of the Jews who dared to escape into the woods of Belorussia and Poland to survive the Holocaust.It sports some finely crafted drama, though not perfect. It just does the best with what it has and thankfully it has authenticity and great acting on its side, despite some shortcomings and incidences of overstepping the mark.Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber play the two older brothers of a slain Jewish Belorussian family who flee with their younger siblings into the woods, chased not only by Nazis but the police forces of their own communities who have sided with the enemy.One brother goes on to lead the growing number of escaping Jews while the other - ostracised after rising tensions - joins the Partisans.The story is sometimes sporadic in its delivery of drama and incidence, meaning that one theme is sometimes forgotten for the sake of a bit of action. Don't get me wrong, some of the action is superbly done, but I felt that there were some rushed scenes.While all very well executed, I feel that Defiance suffered an occasional conflict in direction and style, but most viewers might not even notice this.Craig and Schreiber's Russian is spot on and at times even seems playfully competitive, which adds much needed chemistry to such an ambitious tale of family. Jamie Bell is also on form.Overall a fine effort, even though I felt it might actually have had more impact were it half an hour shorter.

Through the Foggy Lense of History the True Story told by Survivors and Historians vary Wildly. Accused of Their Own despicable atrocities trying to Survive deplorable conditions in the Wilderness, the Bielski Resistance is Currently in Heated Dispute about Their Actual Fighting and Activities.Depending on what Source You seek out there will be an Enormous Amount of Partisanship and Opinions. The Film takes the Positive Nuggets Uncovered in the frustrating ability to Pin-Down the Accuracy of such a Tumultuous and Tragic Era of Human Suffering.Putting Aside the Historical Truth (if there is such a thing) and Reviewing the Film as a Film, an Attempt at an Enlightening Entertainment, it is a rather Well-Made, Interesting, and Inspiring Movie.The Director Edward Zwick is not Shy about using Modern Movie Flourishes of Action, varying Film-Speed and Camera Hi-Jinx to Heighten the already Dramatic War Battles. He uses this to accelerate the pulse.Also, with the Over-Use of Violins pulling the Heartstrings, Zwick spares no amount of Hollywood Ness to make the Movie Watchable amongst the Truly Depressing Suffering.Overall, Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber, along with Jamie Bell make this a Well-Acted, Controversial Film, that is Worth a Watch. But to find out just what Really Happened might be as Frustrating as the Filmmakers Pretensions and in the Final Analysis only Guilty of what most of History is, "...a set of lies agreed upon." (Napoleon)

What director Edward Zwick did for African-Americans during the American Civil in his movie "Glory," he does for Jewish refugees in his World War II combat epic "Defiance." Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, and Jamie Bell play three heroic Jewish brothers who fled from Nazi-held Poland into the Belarussian forest, marched hundreds of Jews into the wilderness, built a camp, and hid them from Hitler's murderous troops. Naturally, the Brothers Bielski clashed among themselves, and Zus (Live Schreiber) went off and fought with the Soviets, while Tuvia acted like Moses and provided food, water, and camaraderie for these exiled Jews. Unfortunately, no matter how stirring the combat scenes are, "Defiance" is a conventional World War II movie that benefits immeasurably from a true story. Zwick and "Under Fire" scenarist Clayton Frohman adapted Nechama Tec's non-fictional account "Defiance: The Bielski Partisans." After Zus joins the Soviets, he discovers the latent anti-Semitism within the ranks. Meantime, Tuvia learns about the price of leadership. He has to orchestrate the large population that he conceals in the wood and feed them. Tuvia orders that the women be trained to handle firearms. He dispatches food patrols and monitors the Nazis, but disputes break out when the fighters who found the food insist on having greater shares. The problem with "Defiance" is that Zwick relies on clichés galore when this compelling narrative could have sacrificed most of the clichés. The logistics of trooping around these Jewish refugees are colossal. At one point, a Jewish man tells them that they cannot do the impossible, and Asael Bielski reminds them that they have already done the impossible. The combat scenes are staged vividly by Zwick and lenser Eduardo Serra. World War II fanatics will enjoy this above-average yarn.