Come and See

Rating: 8/10 (5 June 2012)

This film is not to the faint of heart or weak of stomachs. This is a very realistic war film, that is very unlike the mainstream Hollywood war films that are made today. There are no heroes in this film, just a young boy trying to survive through many horrific situations. There are no special effects and no stunt men. This film sent me through and emotional roller coaster the whole time I was watching it, and made me question whether I would be able to go through these same situations and still have the will to live. For me, this film border lines a horror film, mainly because it is very haunting and scary. The scene where the Nazis are torching the homes with the people inside were particularly scary to me because I have a huge fear of fire. But at the same time, it could have been just as scary to come out of the house because the torture could have been just as bad or worse. It was moments like these that made me think about war, its purpose and the sacrifices or decisions that people who are in it make. Although this film is meant to be realistic, it can become hard to continue watching. There are no moments of hope or happiness, and watching Flyora age so quickly through out the movie is very disturbing. Still, in contrast to the typical war films that are made today that glamorize war and the military, I am happy that this film was made because it shows what war really is, a truly horrifying event.