Harrowing, Disturbing & Beautifully Filmed

Rating: 9/10 (25 December 2006)

This isn't much I can add to what hasn't been said or written some dozen years after this was released. It's still one of the most powerful stories ever put on film, mainly because it's based on fact. Since it's Hollywood, you don't know how much of this is true but the Holocaust certainly is and that's enough. The little details don't matter.
This movie features extremely good acting by the three leads: Liam Neson, Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley. Fiennes is particularly good as the Nazi villain. He's downright scary and one of the most rotten, despicable human beings ever put on film....but that was the intent. I don't know if his character (or lack of it) was exaggerated since this was made by a famous Jewish filmmaker (Steven Spielberg) who has made the Nazis look as bad as possible in a number of his movie (not that they don't deserve it!). Nonetheless, Fiennes' portrayal of "Amon Goeth" is one you'll remember. You'll want to punch this idiot right in the nose.
Neeson, in the title role as "Oskar Schlinder," is intriguing as the industrialist who slowly sees immoral things happening that the become too repulsive for him to support. For much of the film, he still isn't a "good guy" but he certainly comes around and becomes a hero in the end. Neeson's scene near the conclusion when "Schindler" parts with "his" Jews at the end of the war is extremely moving. It brings tears to my eyes every time. When he agonizes that "I could have done more," it is something all of us could say and probably will some day. That sentence by him haunted me after each viewing.
In addition to the moving story, the black-and-white cinematography in here is magnificent. Not many movies today are made in black-and-white and that's too bad because with today's cameras and knowledge, it can look tremendous. (i.e. "The Man Who Wasn't There," "Ed Wood," etc.) The camera-work helped draw me back to several viewings.
A lot of people would not watch this movie a second time and I can't blame them. It's tough to watch. There are some brutal, harrowing, scenes in here with executions, naked people being led to the gas chambers....just some very disturbing scenes.
It should be seen at least once, though, by everyone.