potential insomnia

Rating: 10/10 (7 June 2010)

If you get scared easily, do not watch this film alone at night. Especially if you plan on getting a relatively decent amount of sleep. But if you're not as easily shaken up as I am, any hour of the day will suit you just fine! Although it's not my first-choice genre, I have seen quite a few war movies over the years. I often find even the mildest displays of violence and gore too bothersome for me to keep my eyes open, but compared to this film, those are all "Hollywood" style war depictions, glamorizing the concept of battle in order to ensure a decent range of viewers. "Come and See," or "Idi I Smotri" is haunting yet captivating at the same time. As much as I didn't want to view the atrocious acts I knew were coming, I could not permit myself to move my eyes from the screen. Following Florya through this rendition of Russia in World War II is an experience that carries out beyond the image on the screen. It really pulls you into the action, causing the viewer to forget they are just watching a movie. The incredible images of Florya's surroundings in ruins, and the overwhelming sense of realism from the focus on each of the five senses, make Klimov's "Come and See" the most unique war film I have ever seen. There is no attractive hero, no romantic storyline, and no Hollywood typical ending, which separates this film from the genre-oriented industry. If you're sick of seeing the same movies over and over again, but with different titles and (sometimes) different actors, I would highly recommend giving "Come and See" a shot. This film cannot simply be read about for one to understand its powerful essence; it has to be witnessed firsthand. As Florya discovers the horrific reality of war, I felt as though I was discovering it with him. At the start of his journey, this young boy is very naive of this reality, but seems to "age" significantly from experiencing it. It's almost as though he sees the "Hollywood" version of war in his head, as he excitedly leaves home to join the soldiers in the woods. The happy look on his face is something I can recall, but can no longer imagine. After you witness his intensely horrified gaze, it doesn't leave your mind. You feel as though you're right there with him as he watches a church full of people burn to the ground, refuses to accept that his family has been murdered, and finally, when he intensely stares down Hitler's photo and fires his gun for the first time. Rather than feeling simply disturbed after this experience, I felt both enlightened and guilty. I learned a lot from this film, about both techniques in film making and the reality of WWII, which left me to my thoughts for quite a while after watching it. The feeling of guilt is due to the fact that I was watching this poor boy go through such terrible atrocities, and it truly felt as though I was a quiet bystander. It's easy to lose awareness that this boy is not really going through these things, and his captivating expressions, along with the incredible sound effects, are what made this so real to me. If this film was able to affect me so much from simply viewing it, I cannot even imagine what the real-life experience of WWII in Russia must have been like. Overall, it was worth being a little scared after watching this film. I know it's one of the few I will never forget, and an important one to have seen for anyone who's interested in an aspect of film.