Definitely Come and See this movie

Rating: 10/10 (1 August 2010)

I have always been fascinated by war, specifically World War II. It's something I always enjoy learning more about through any means such as fictional movies or stories and also documentaries and non-fiction stories. I love watching movies that deal with dogfights in the skies, stories about Holocaust survivors, the multiple point of views of those involved or basically anything that occurred during the war and the events that led to the war. This movie seemed perfect to watch since it was about a POV that I hadn't gotten the chance of seeing. I was told before watching the movie that my entire view of war would change. It did, it surely did change.
The movie didn't necessarily make me hate war, it made me realize that wars with no purpose are the wars to hate. This movie just showed me that World War II can be justified because it had a purpose. It was a unified quest by multiple countries to stop the power hungry Nazi Germany, Japan and the countries involved with the Axis powers. There definitely was other goals set by the Allied powers that were set with anything but good intention but overall they were on a mission to dismantle the Axis powers. They wanted to stop the atrocious acts that were being committed by the Nazis. We see an example of the inhumane acts carried out by the Nazis in Come and See when they set fire to the building with the villagers stuck inside. This scene filled me with anger and disgust. I might have been the only one during the screening who wanted the Russians to torture the captured Nazis. This is a movie that moves you in many ways. In some parts of the movie you feel joy then all of a sudden your turning away from the screen in disgust.
For me the acts carried out by the Nazis wasn't what change my mind of war. Its the experience of Florya during the Nazi invasion of Belorussia. This is a kid who joins the army because he is fascinated with the war and army. He thinks it'll be a bang bang type of action but soon realizes the horrors of war. He's a 15 year old who ages in a matter of days. He's been bombed,shot at,saw the burning of a building filled with people,had a gun pointed at his head,and countless other things. I was surprised that at the end of the movie he still decides to stay in the army, of course this time more mature than at the beginning of the movie. This time around he understands that war isn't a game and knows the purpose of war.
Klimov does an excellent job displaying the psychological effects of war on Floyra. The use of music fits perfectly with the movie. The moment the Nazis bomb the area Florya was first stationed we hear this deafening noise. I look around because I was unaware the deafening sound was coming from the movie. The sound was frightening and I couldn't imagined how Florya or anyone could react when all they hear is a loud ringing in their ears. Another scene were Klimov does an fantastic job of incorporating the audience through their senses is as Florya and Glasha walk through the dirty swamp. You see them walking with mud all over there face and its hard to imagine just what exactly is in the water. Every sense a person has reacts to this scene. Klimov throughout the movie does not show excessive violence or gore. When Glasha and Florya return to Florya's village, Klimov didn't right away give away that Florya family and village had been entirely killed. He didn't have blood all over the floor, all he had to show that something was wrong was use a bunch of flies. Flies were everywhere in the village. You hear the buzzing and that's when you know something is not right then all of a sudden as Glasha turns back as she runs out the village we catch a short but powerful shot that displays the horror that took place.
One of the most powerful scenes in the movie is at the end when Florya shoots his gun for the first time at a picture of Hitler. A montage the shows the reverse chronological events that led to Hitler's rise to power. The montage ends with a picture of baby Hitler. The one line from the movie that explains why they stop at the picture of baby Hitler is said by one of the SS soldiers and it is, "It all starts with the children." This is somewhat true, Hitler did have a troublesome childhood that played a role in his outlook on life and people.
Overall, Klimov directed one of the most magnificent war movies to come out. It will change people's views of war and make people see it in a new light. Wars don't affect only those in the army but everyone is at danger during war.