World War II from the viewpoint of a resistance fighter

Rating: 10/10 (11 February 2009)

There have been many films about World War II's European Theater. Among the best ones I can recall at this moment are "Saving Private Ryan," "Schindler's List" "The Great Escape," "Patton," and "The Longest Day." But none of these were from the viewpoint of a resistance fighter. "Black Book" fills that gap and is as powerful a film as any of these. Unlike the others, this one apparently is a work of fiction.
Because the film is a flashback from a kibbutz in 1956 Israel, we know that the protagonist, Rachel Stein aka Ellis de Vries, survives the war. But what she goes through to survive is so dreadful and yet seems so believable. The story keeps you at the edge of your seat all of the time. I don't think there is a dull spot in it. Sometimes it is the suspense of will the partisans accomplish their mission or will they be caught. When battles break out who will survive? If that is not enough to keep you alert, there is also a considerable amount of nudity and debauchery.
The film is mostly believable, but by the end there are so many twists and betrayals that it loses some credibility. However I didn't realize how far fetched it got until it was over and I began to think of all that happened and why the Nazis didn't just destroy the resistance cell without waiting for the partisans to attack before springing their trap. As done, the Nazis as well as the partisans suffer casualties in the traps the Nazis set for them.
Nevertheless, the chaos at the end of the war with vengeance seeking Dutch mobs and with the victorious allies (Canadian soldiers were the liberators) trusting the wrong people seemed all too realistic.
Carice van Houten is terrific as Rachel Stein/Ellis de Vries.
Although much of the film is in German and Dutch with English subtitles, there are times when it is appropriate for English to be spoken.