You have to understand - THIS IS A TRUE STORY

Rating: 9/10 (25 November 2011)

There are two levels to this movie: On one level it is a Hollywood blockbuster, well made and well produced. Many will be interested in this.... But...
Look a bit deeper BEFORE you see the movie and it will mean a lot more to you, and you will enjoy it a lot more. Do you enjoy the internet? Free speech? IMDb? Then this movie should mean more to you then the typical Hollywood blockbuster. THIS IS A TRUE STORY.... which makes me take this film 10x more seriously then I would a normal Hollywood blockbuster. I'm a Canadian 30-something and none of my family was involved in WW2, and I'm not Jewish. So I'm pretty much impartial. But I'm still fascinated by it, and very conscious of the sacrifices people paid so that I could post this review. I have enormous respect for those who paid for my freedoms. Enormous, indescribable respect. As should you.
You think the world economy is bad, etc etc? Watch this and put things into perspective. If you're younger and don't really see WW2 as being relevant in your life: just wait. As you grow older you look further back to understand where you are coming from and how you ended up where you did. "If you know your history, then you would know where you're coming from." - BM
The first time I saw this film I wasn't terribly impressed - as far as Hollywood flicks go you can get more explosions and action in other films, I gave it about 7/10. What made me watch it again was when I saw a documentary on History Channel about the Bielski brothers. That really hit home and reminded me it wasn't just another flick. THIS WAS REAL. I had to watch it again before I realized: this deserves 9/10.
That made me google them, and led me to the Wikipedia page for the Bielski Partisans. I *highly* recommend you see a doc or visit the Wikipedia page BEFORE you see this movie. It really makes you appreciate it more, and lets you know this movie is infinitely more important than The Transformers, etc etc. 20,000+ descendants are alive and well because of what these FOUR brothers did.
In western culture, particularly with young people, we tend to think the U.S.A / U.K won the second world war for us. The truth is - the Russians and everyone on the Eastern front were what defeated the Nazis. Google it. This movie is a great example of how they did it, religion is irrelevant here. This is why "we" won the war and still exist to post reviews on websites. In an age where Lady Gaga and the likes are the most famous people on the planet... it really makes ya think... Who is a true hero? A legend? Who should be recorded in the history books for all time? Who among us has saved 1200 lives against all odds?
Tuvia, Alexander ("Zus"), Asael, and Aron.
Much respect to all veterans, east and west, from a younger person who enjoys his freedom. Thank you.