Fantastic story about human behavior.

Rating: 9/10 (5 August 2009)

Great performances by all. Fantastic job of creating realism in the sets. Approaches the atrocities in a way that can cause some to sit back and ponder it in a new light.
This movie did an amazing job of delving into the ways people behave when subjected to an intimidating and dangerous situation.
It has already been reviewed by so many others one might not feel the need to watch it after reading all the reviews. After all one would know every detail of the movie before watching it, and for me that ruins it.
So I chose not to write about the acting but rather the psychology behind the people portrayed in this movie.
Fear of the unknown is a natural thing for people. Fear of how one would behave in a stressful situation is part of that. I suspect some of those who are most vocal towards Nazi criminals have at least a small margin of fear that they might have done the same thing if they had been there. One can talk till blue in the face and make all sorts of oaths, ("I would never do that.")But if surrounded by an intimidating force, such as Nazis, one understands that refusal to comply with orders brings swift execution. One can sit behind a PC screen safe and secure in their home and swear they would refuse, but until the tables are turned and the pistols are aimed at you, you do NOT know which path you will take. And that my friends is mostly what this movie is about.
People ask, "How could anyone allow this to happen"? Fear is the great immobilizer. It can numb consciences to the point people who would normally be disgusted by atrocities can ignore or take part in them due to the powerful instinct to survive. And when it is all over develop the mindset that it was their assigned duty. "It was my job." "To disobey meant my death."
It is unfair to blame ALL German citizens. Besides, there were Germans who helped hide people. Blame not the German people but rather the Nazis, a political party that USED the German people.
It would only take a major disaster to see the return of such circumstances. And I suspect that is what some people fear most.
I fear it is already in the making in America.
Why are there internment camps in every state?
They are titled FEMA but they were never used after Katrina. WHY? What are they being saved for?
Think it can't happen again? Think you would refuse to participate even if it meant your death? Don't bet on it...........