A breathtakingly poignant masterpiece by Spielberg

Rating: Null/10 (19 December 2011)

Steven Spielberg's masterpiece, Schindler's List, is clearly one of the most poignant and perceptive movies of our generation. Up till now, I had simply heard such praises of the film countless times from family and friends, and had accepted them to be true. Now, after having viewed the film myself, I can attest to such a statement and much, much more. The basis of the story revolves around the life of one man – Oskar Schindler – whose subtle yet lucid transformation during the Holocaust relentlessly captures the interest of the audience. While the film is filled with many depictions of gruesome violence, it still manages to aptly display the emotions behind them in an uncharacteristically impartial way; in essence, Schindler's List perfectly presents itself as both a technical and artistic masterpiece, and is able to do so without hindering its plot in any way, shape, or form.
Rather than conforming to the framework of a classic World War II drama, the plot of this movie, as mentioned above, is more of an exposé about Schindler and the reasons behind his actions. The protagonist of this film, Liam Neeson, was wisely cast by Spielberg for the role of Oskar Schindler. In my opinion, this choice was superb for many reasons; the poise and sincerity displayed by Neeson throughout the film is characteristically reminiscent of historical accounts of the real Schindler. He flows through his many roles, as a womanizer, businessman, humanitarian, and lover, with a fantastic sense of ease and genuineness in his actions. The other protagonist, Itzhak Stern, was played by the widely renowned Ben Kingsley who, once again, failed to disappoint. In fact, I would argue that the casting of Kingsley alongside Liam Neeson gave their relationship in the film a whole new perspective. As the pragmatist in Schindler's business, Kingsley is initially afraid of the Direktor, but quickly comes to terms with his impulsiveness and stubbornness. This leads to a remarkably subtle relationship between them that is even further accentuated by their stark physical and emotional contrast. The primary antagonist in the film, Amon Goeth, was also masterfully cast by Spielberg and his crew, but I have some complaints as to his portrayal as a psychopath in the film. Although Ralph Fiennes did a remarkable job emulating the nuances of a Nazi officer, his role as the Commandant of Płaszów gave the impression that he was mentally ill, which, in my opinion, takes away from the effect of his arbitrary cruelty. However, the script and dialogue aren't by any means his responsibility, and he definitely did an amazing job with what he was given.
My personal favorite part of the movie was definitely the closing five minutes in which Schindler has to flee, and the workers are liberated by a Red Army dragoon. This scene is a great culmination to all that happens in the movie, and carries a bigger emotional impact than even the horrifying scenes of Auschwitz. It also captures the essence of the enduring relationship between Schindler and Stern without being melodramatic or unnecessarily maudlin. Schindler's breakdown regarding his inability to save "a few more" helps solidify the audience's perception of his benevolence, while also hinting at the doomed fate of the others. When the throng of Schindler's Jews morph into their descendants today, this emotional impact is given a touch of reality. This sudden influx of authenticity makes the rest of the movie even more moving too, and does well to evoke genuine sympathy rather than pity from the audience.
Arguably, the most remarkable thing about Schindler's List may be its ability to present a relatively neutral view on such a historically stigmatized topic. The movie pretty much tells it how it is (or was, really); yet, contrary to intuition, this makes the moral ramifications of the film even more profound than they would have otherwise been. As Ebert points out in his review's conclusion, the reason why Uncle Tom's Cabin has been met with so much disdain is because of Stowe's relentless commentary on the flaws and evils of slavery. Such triteness can often incite argument rather than agreement, and so, in my own opinion, it's best to leave the moral judgment to the viewers, and simply focus on the story, as Spielberg has done. When I finished watching this film, the first thought that I had was to juxtapose the pre- and post-war Schindlers, and to compare their values and goals as individuals. By doing this, I found that the primary moral lesson that I take away from this film is that by helping others, you are really helping yourself. This is rarely in materialistic terms, of course, but a clean conscience and contentment with yourself is more than any man can ask for – after that point, there is no fear of pain, no paranoia of death; after that point, your life is fulfilled and desire loses its value; after that point, you are the strongest person out of anyone, although you may seem weaker in appearance. This is exactly what Oskar Schindler achieved, and through seeing his actions I think others will take away a similar, albeit paraphrased message too.
In conclusion, I'd like to discuss what audiences this film is most geared towards, and my interpretation of its intended purpose on such audiences. Besides the age and maturity factor, I think that this movie will appeal to all sides of the genre spectrum,and is definitely worth a watch for anyone who hasn't already seen it. Overall, no matter how hard I tried, there is very little to complain about this film, and countless things to praise it. Therefore, out of 4 stars, I would give Schindler's List a full 3.9 for its masterful direction, stunning screenplay, thought provoking dialogue, mind-boggling imagery, astonishing characterization, and much, much more. This movie will clearly go down in history as an indubitable classic, and will undoubtedly be referenced for many generations to come.