Better than Schindlers List

Rating: 10/10 (7 April 2010)

This is a brilliantly made film about a very disturbing subject. Those who question whether a Jewish boy would be allowed to sit by the fence of the concentration camp are missing the whole point of this film. I am sure it is not meant to depict an actual event or even suggest that it could have happened. What this film does so well is explore the many different emotions of each character. Just how a person such as the father could be both good ( to his family and friends ) and totally evil to others.( The Jews ) This dichotomy is also seen in the young SS soldier. The innocence of both children shows how stupid the whole racist argument is. The women in the film show that not everyone agrees with the evil being done but have the dilemma that they are married to their men and cannot come to terms with them doing or believing such evil things. Young Jack Scanlon who plays Shmuel,is outstanding as is Asa Butterfield as Bruno, the camp Commandant's son. But all the actors play their parts exceptionally well. Did this film win any Oscars? It really should have won in just about every category since it is one of the best films you will ever see. Much better than Schindlers list because it doesn't show the gore and violence in any graphic way, but you are left to use your imagination, which can be much more horrific. ( something Hitchcock used to do so well ) This is a good film for anyone with racist tendencies as sadly mankind has not moved on much since those awful days that this film depicts so well.