Come and See

Rating: 10/10 (9 February 2011)

In the wake of Mikhail Gorbachev's watchwords "Glasnost" and "Perestroika" comes a film from director Elem Klimov, Come and See. This is one of the most gruesome war films ever made. It is an exceptionally powerful film that does not in any way glorify the horrors people experience in war.
Set in Byelorussia, a small country that experienced mass killings in over five hundred villages during the Second World War. In one village, a young boy called Florya (Aleksey Kravchenko) joins with the partisan army to fight the Nazi invaders.
The film starts with Florya digging around in old trenches. An old man screams out in anguish that he must stop; however, blinded by his dream to become a soldier, Florya eventually finds a weapon. This discovery triggers his village's "participation" in the war.
The importance of not glorifying the concept of war is present as the movie is shot on real locations, without any special effects, and the actors are really on location when the action is going on. This provides a very explicit depiction of the war's many horrors, which makes you want to take cover behind your seat.
The portrayal of Florya's transformation through the one of two weeks this story spans is an amazing cinematic accomplishment. By the end of it all, Florya looks to have aged at least thirty years, and the soldiers that at first only referred to him as the "newcomer" have now accepted him as a fellow soldier. The fate of his family, the old man and the rest of his village are all very moving, it will remain with you for a very long time.
It is also fascinating how Mikhail Gorbachev chooses to portray the Nazis in this film. Their inhumane actions speak for themselves but yet he gives them such a menacing touch. It is almost as if their side of the war is one big celebration. They seem to have a good time together and are fully enjoying themselves as they massacre people. Shooting, burning and sexually and mentally abusing their enemies, this under constant laughter and cheering.
But wait there is more. Mikhail Gorbachev is not done with you just yet; he actually finds a way to masterfully affect all of senses through both visual and auditory means. At one point, due to the bombs, Florya loses his hearing. When he gets his hearing back and from this point on there is an almost constant background sound playing. This adds to the feeling of shell-shock and that he is now almost apathetic. This together with the very realistic violence and psychological terrors this kid is exposed to makes you turn in your seat in unease several times.
It is not my intention to scare anyone away from watching this film, on the contrary. I do wish that people would dedicate some time to watch this, and perhaps you will also be able to break free from the shackles of Hollywood's glorification of war. I feel that no review could ever do justice to this legendary work of art. You really have to experience it.