“Defiance,” directed by Edward Zwick and starring Daniel Craig, presents another perspective of the Jews during the Holocaust: they were not passive victims. And according to Zwick in a November interview, he wanted to ‘explore heroism of real people, not comic book heroes.’ Based on the true story about the Bielski partisans, “Defiance” takes place in 1941 in Belarus. Hitler is on the move and the final solution is underway. The four surviving Bielski brothers, Tuvia (Craig), Zus (Live Schreiber), Asael (Jamie Bell) and Aron (George MacKay), are forced to hide in the woods after the local police, in collaboration with the Germans, kill their parents. Although the brothers want to fight the Nazis, they cannot turn away the many refugees who wander the forest. As the ragtag community grows, so do the problems. Tuvia and Zus openly clash, with Tuvia advocating a largely peaceful philosophy and Zus wanting to get bloody revenge. Disease, starvation, and cold threaten everyone as autumn fades into winter. And the specter of capture casts a pall when the Germans put a price on the brothers’ heads.
Daniel Craig has the most screen time and proves that he can act. His Tuvia is an ordinary man thrust into extraordinary circumstances and the burden of keeping so many people alive is reflected in his eyes. Live Schreiber also gives a memorable performance as the conflicted, least idealistic of the Bielski brothers. Although the battle scenes are suspenseful and well choreographed, more compelling is the drama associated with the establishment and maintenance of the Bielski partisans’ refugee camp. Not only must this ever-growing community build shelters during the most inhospitable time of year, they face starvation and an epidemic of typhus. Zwick also manages to include issues of faith in God, love, sex, and marriage. Also interesting to note is Jenny Beavan’s costume design, where costumes reflect character development. For example, as Asael grows from boy to man, his clothing reflects this change. Ultimately, “Defiance” is about the triumph over adversity and it’s worth seeing. 1/8/09
1 comment:
To me, "Defiance" is about heroism and courage among Jews in WWII durng a time when few of their race were fighting back and just making straight lines into the death camps. These men were courageous in a Biblical sense going back to when the Jews were a feared people killing giants and conquering huge armies. When Tuvia Bielski made the statement "We will protect you" it gave me the chills. At the end of this film I had big tears in my eyes and I had the feeling that I was a better person for having seen this picture. I give it 4 1/2
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