A truly outstanding film

Rating: 10/10 (20 December 2011)

Rarely does a film like this come along. In fact, it puts a whole new dimension in film making. Although the film starts out somewhat slow, the viewer is immersed into the realism of rural life and partisans in Belorussia during WW2. As the film evolves, the viewer experiences to some extent the bleakness created by the German invasion of the Soviet Union. The bleakness suddenly turns to chaos and then a level of brutality only a Hun could be proud of, where all senses of morality and decency are absent. The acting in superb, even down to the facial expressions of the partisans. Rarely do you find such fine acting, even in the West. But of course one must consider most of actors would be well educated in the Nazi occupation of Belorussia and the evil unleashed from the monsters who killed off a third of the population of Belorussia. A sense of anger and even hopelessness is felt watching this intense war film. The film exposes in a very bad light another chapter of German crimes against humanity few in the West have learned of, crimes for which Germany can never repay now or in the future. The camera work is brilliant in the film, where the bleakness is highlighted in dull tones throughout. I would strongly advise children do not watch this film - it is simply too disturbing, to the extent it makes Saving Private Ryan look like a G-rated cartoon show. Even adults with a conscience would have difficulty coming to terms with the brutality of war as shown in this film. I suggest too the viewer researches further the German atrocities in Russia in World War 2.