"The list is life."

Rating: 10/10 (1 December 2007)

"Schindler's List" is Steven Spielberg's acclaimed film that explores the life of Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist who saved almost 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust through his actions. Spielberg appropriately decided to make the film in black and white, which gives the film a documentary-like quality. It also allowed him to make effective use of occasional glimpses of color. John Williams again proves his ability to come up with an appropriate soundtrack for any type of film. Spielberg also shows in a time of overwrought special effects that effects can be used subtlety to great effect, such as the zoomed out shot of a building on which windows light up to indicate Nazi gunfire and killings.
Liam Neeson is perfect as Oskar Schindler. Schindler is initially a war profiteer who is eventually moved to use his fortune and influence to shield Jews from the Holocaust. Interestingly the character was given an enigmatic quality and generally isn't explicit about his perceptions for a lot of the film. To the film's credit, it doesn't suppress the womanizing aspect of Schindler's character. Ben Kingsley is also excellent in a subtle performance as Schindler's invaluable accountant and assistant, Itzhak Stern. Ralph Fiennes also gives a great and frightening performance as the unstable and insecure megalomaniac Amon Goeth.
This film is long and sad, but absorbing at the same time such that it is never tedious during its length of over three hours. The film gains intensity from the graphic depictions of Nazi violence and the lingering sense that Jews can be killed at any time. It also shows us how the courage of one individual can have an important impact. Schindler laments not having saved more people, but the film effectively makes it clear that almost 1,200 people is an important number.