Defiance

Rating: 5/10 (10 August 2009)

From director Edward Zwick (Glory, Blood Diamond), I knew the critics didn't approve fully with this second world war drama based on a true story, but I was going to see it no matter what. Set in Poland, three Jewish brother: Tuvia (Daniel Craig), Zus (Liev Schreiber) and Asael Bielski (Jamie Bell) have escaped capture by the Germans, and as they hide in the woods, they are joined by many other Jewish people. They are now finding all the food and weapons they can forage to survive in the forest. The only rules are that everyone sticks together, everyone gets the same rations, and no women must get pregnant. This is extraordinary story of survival in the most unlikely of environments, it ultimately grew to a total of 1,200 Jews living in the forest for another two years. Also starring Alexa Davalos as Lilka Ticktin, Allan Corduner as Shamon Haretz, Mark Feuerstein as Isaac Malbin, Tomas Arana as Ben Zion Gulkowitz, Jodhi May as Tamara Skidelsky, Kate Fahy as Riva Reich, Iddo Goldberg as Yitzchak Shulman and George MacKay as Aron Bielski. Craig makes a good lead with his Polish accent, Shreiber and Bell have their moments as his brother too, it is a good story with some eye-catching scenes. I can't really see why the critics give this film two out of five stars, I mean I guess I've seen some of the material in some other war films, but so what? It was nominated the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Original Score for James Newton Howard. Worth watching!