unique war film

Rating: 9/10 (25 February 2003)

"Come and See" is unique in style, particularly the use of sound, as in the first half of the film when the boy is shell-shocked and deafened and hears a surreal mixture of the natural world and his own thoughts and memories. It was haunting to say the least, especially as it is counterpointed by an idyllic interlude with the girl in the forest before the Nazis arrive in earnest.
What is not unique about the film is its "How bad were the Nazis?" portrayal of the casual evil of atrocity and murder. It is shocking even as it is trite, the horrendous violence that was perpetrated with an almost incomprehensible and unanimous joy. The whole world seems unable to get enough of the recreation of this time of plague of human evil, even after 60 years, and some things should never be forgotten, the sacrifice and nobility of the martyrs and resisters especially. "Come and See" has plenty of that spirit, of the outnumbered rag-tag Russian fighters, and its nationalist pride is understandable.
But it is the nihilistic, crushing aspect of war, no matter who the combatants, that make this and all films about war so meaningful, regardless of the historical setting.