Sears itself into the memory - both emotionally flooring and undeniably uplifting

Rating: 10/10 (17 October 2007)

Films detailing the tragic events of the Holocaust more often than not tend to descend into ill-advised and horrifyingly clichéd anti-war lectures, so the notion of Steven Spielberg, debatably the founding father of the blockbuster, helming a WW2 epic may not always have been an ideal prospect, for fear that the gritty realism of the period may have been lost beneath a shiny veneer of Hollywood gloss. Needless to say, such doubts are near instantly dispelled upon viewing Schindler's List, which, while refusing to shy away from the horrific realism of the period, manages to extract moments of genuine glimmering hope out of the darkness, managing to stand out as both one of the most emotionally draining yet exhilarating and uplifting films of its kind.
Dispelling all potential skepticism, Spielberg proves himself entirely the right man for the job, and Schindler's List is arguably one of his very strongest and most effective films to date. The film sears itself into the viewer's memory, with many haunting images proving inescapable, from the jarring sound of sporadic Nazi gunshots to the despairing moan of thousands of Jews crowded into a ghetto. Spielberg's effortless manipulation of the audience's emotions is laudable indeed, as is his masterful pacing between the atrocities of war and the small moments of comfort which prevent the film from descending into complete darkness. Complimented by a typically moving and beautiful musical score by John Williams, the film perfectly counterbalances despair with hope, creating a truly compelling and moving portrait of one of humanity's darker hours.
The historical accuracy of the film is similarly laudable - the immaculate period costumes and expansive set design are pitch perfect, and all beautifully rendered in pristine black and white cinematography, a refreshing diversion from the colour saturated contemporary film industry. And while the film's hefty three and a quarter hour running time may be a source of complaint, it serves only to further immerse the audience within the context and period, allowing the emotional drama to resonate all the more. It would seem Spielberg was not content to simply provide audiences with a film, and instead settles for an experience - an emotional epic with an uncanny ability to draw an audience in, capture their sympathies and churn them out with a tear in their eye yet a smile on their face in a nearly peerless fashion. And despite the film's undeniable occasional forays into melodrama and cliché (Schindler's breakdown near the end, tearfully declaring that he could have saved more is a bit much...) it is difficult to turn one's nose up at so captivating and heartfelt a film as this.
Liam Neeson gives a career defining performance as the benevolent Oskar Schindler, and his gentle charisma and subtle intensity perfectly compliment the many facets (womaniser, enterpriser and saviour of thousands of innocent lives) of such a monumental role. Ben Kingsley is similarly impressive as Itzhak Stern, the Jewish manager of Schindler's factory. In a role which would normally entail typical Hollywood grandstanding, Kingsley instead embraces the realism of the character with subtly churning emotions, and his performance is all the more masterfully crafted as consequence. However, despite the stellar work of the main two stars, both pale in comparison with the magnetic Ralph Fiennes, effortlessly stealing the show as impassive yet impulsively murderous Nazi official Amon Goeth. Fiennes' chilling intensity is truly a spectacle to behold, and it is nearly worth seeing the film just for his performance - one of the most haunting, but ultimately human antagonistic faces ever associated with the Holocaust. Caroline Goodall gives a strong performance as Schindler's neglected wife, and Embeth Davidtz is genuinely moving as Helen Hirsch, a Jewish slave working who attracts the fancy of the monstrous Goeth.
Throughout the years, Schindler's List has been widely celebrated as one of the most powerful, draining yet uplifting films in recent memory, and upon viewing it, this status is difficult to contend. While the film may toe the line of melodrama at times, and the running time may be enough to dispel some potential viewers, the blistering emotional clout and historical poignancy make Spielberg's labour of love easily worth watching for anyone willing to undergo the admittably difficult and draining watch. Out of all the second world war films out there, Schindler's List stands out as debatably the most engrossing and ultimately uplifting of the lot, proving that in the midst of darkness and despair, genuine human emotion can still be celebrated.
-10/10