An extraordinary look at one man's survival...brilliant performance by Adrien Brody...

Rating: Null/10 (11 June 2003)

Words are inadequate to describe the flawless flow of events in this absorbing account of Polish Jews facing extinction in the Warsaw Ghetto of the '40s during the Nazi reign of terror.
Surely the most deserving Oscar award in years was bestowed on Adrien Brody who captures his character completely and carries the film with his amazingly real performance. He is at the center of vision throughout most of the action--so perfect in his role that he makes the story an unforgettable experience. His confrontation with a Nazi officer who discovers his hiding place and then asks him to prove that he is a pianist by playing the piano, is just one of the memorable highlights. This scene alone was justification for Brody's Oscar.
Roman Polanski's direction is masterful throughout, never allowing the story to bog down in sentimentality but keeping the focus on survival and some of the horrific things that happen along the way.
An inspired piece of filmmaking that is stunning to watch because it is so real and moving. Not since SCHINDLER'S LIST has the brutality and epic sweep of World War II been captured so accurately.