Disappointing

Rating: 4/10 (23 January 2007)

I must first say that the cinematography is outstanding but I have the following reservations:
1. The "comedy" acting was both unfunny and irritating, a sort of Italian version of Jim Carey. I do not like this exhibitionistic, overacting style and could not really warm to the main character.
2. Having visited Auschwitz, read the books of Primo Levi and many others on the holocaust, I felt that the concentration camp sequences in the latter part of the film totally unrealistic; it looked more like a holiday camp. I believe that the death camps (the ones that had gas chambers) were all in Poland and was not sure where this camp was supposed to be. I became even more confused when an American soldier drove a tank in to liberate the camp (the Polish death camps were liberated by Russians and the only inmates left behind were those who were in the hospital block who were too ill to participate in the death marches).
I can not understand why this film is so successful and has had so many awards. The silly "comedy" and the unrealistic concentration camp make this film very disappointing