The Power of War

Rating: 10/10 (10 February 2012)

Come and See is one of the most harrowing films I have ever seen. The director, Elem Klimov, never loosens his grip on the audience throughout the entire film and he has us in his grasp. There are no exits for the film's characters, and Klimov forces that idea through the viewer as well. The mood that the film creates is such that even when nothing is occurring, we are still on the edge of our seat, fighting to keep our eyes glued to the screen. We are in war, just as Florya is. We are witnessing the atrocities that around, just as Florya is. We are no longer just sitting and viewing these events. Rather,we are transported into the Byelorussian countryside as the Nazis are invading. It is also of note that what is happening here in Byelorussia had also occurred in other parts of the country as well. This is an experience that I believe many viewers will have a hard time fully embracing, but those few that do will be forever changed. No other film has ever been able to so successfully convey the tone of war that Klimov's Come and See does. From the battered and stunning visuals to the isolated sound effects, this is as real as war can get on a movie screen. Though the film isn't necessarily entertaining, it is shocking, and if you are able to handle the horrifying aspects of war that Klimov is presenting, simply turning the film off becomes an impossibility. After viewing "Come and See", it is as one professor once said: "It is a film that you will never forget".