Quite simply the best war film ever made

Rating: 10/10 (5 October 2008)

This is the film that shows what total war in the East must have been like. The plight of the civilian and bestiality of the invader is expressed from the viewpoint of the a maddened young boy partisan. A film of great horror and also lyrical beauty it is nevertheless also restrained. Avoiding what would be unwatchable if shown truthfully, it nevertheless sears the mind like no other war film. The boy begins by wanting to be a soldier and to his frustration is kept behind as too young. Then he sees what soldiers do and learns to hate them. Finally he has no choice but to carry on. An anonymous accepted member of the group and disconnected from any other life which the war has killed.