One of Spielberg's best

Rating: 9/10 (17 September 2012)

Circa 1993, Steven Spielberg was arguably the biggest name in Hollywood. The world had just seen "Jurassic Park" become the third of his films to take over top spot in the list of the highest grossing films of all time. Then, for an encore, he delivered "Schindler's List"; the film that finally brought him Oscar recognition.
The story is based on a factual novel by Thomas Keneally about a German businessman who moves to Poland during WWII in the hopes of making his fortune as a war profiteer. He thrives with the aid of Jewish slave labour but as the war progresses he becomes increasingly concerned about the safety of his work force. Eventually, he resolves to sacrifice his wealth in an attempt to shield his workers from certain death at the hands of the Nazis.
The screenplay by Steven Zaillian is a strong one and it ended up resulting in an Oscar win. The tone can be grim at times as the film unflinchingly portrays the nightmare of German occupation. With a runtime of more than three hours, the film is somewhat gruelling early on but you eventually get so wrapped up in the story that the time passes quickly. Zaillian should also be commended for not portraying Schindler as a man without fault; rather, he is an unlikely hero.
The cast also rises to the occasion. It's no surprise that the always dependable Liam Neeson landed an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Schindler but it is surprising that this is his only nomination to date. Meanwhile, Ralph Fiennes, in his breakout role, basically stole the show as Nazi commandant Amon Goeth. Also deserving of high praise was Ben Kingsley, whose low-key performance spoke volumes.
Visually, the film is exceptional. The black and white cinematography of Janusz Kaminski is stunning and Spielberg's direction is impeccable. Both individuals were justly rewarded with Oscars for their work. Meanwhile, the sets & costumes were also top notch and helped to lend the film a feel of authenticity. Also worth mentioning is John Williams' Oscar-winning score.
In the end, while "Schindler's List" shows exquisite care in every area it is ultimately the film's emotional impact that elevates it above the pack. It'd be a stoic individual indeed who isn't moved by this film in one way or another.