 Daniel Craig (James Bond: The Quantum of Solace) stars as Tuvia Bielski, an ordinary citizen turned hero, in this action-packed epic of family, honor, vengeance and salvation. Defiance is a riveting adventure that showcases the extraordinary true story of the Bielski brothers, simple farmers - outnumbered and outgunned - who turned a group of war refugees into powerful freedom fighters. Tuvia, along with his unyielding brother, Zus (Liev Schreiber, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), motivate hundreds of civilians to join their ranks against the Nazi regime. Their "Inspirational story" (David Densby, The New Yorker) is a true testament to the human spirit. Storyline: On the run and hiding in the deep forests of the then German occupied Poland and Belorussia (World War II), the four Bielski brothers find the impossible task of foraging for food and weapons for their survival. They live, not only with the fear of discovery, contending with neighboring Soviet partisans and knowing whom to trust but also take the responsibility of looking after a large mass of fleeing Polish Jews from the German war machine. Women, men, children, the elderly and the young alike are all hiding in makeshift homes in the dark, cold and unforgiving forests in the darkest times of German occupied Eastern Europe. Written by Cinema_Fan Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, May 21, 2009 -- Our revenge is to live. For all of the many good directors out there who deliver quality picture after quality picture, a few will inevitably become lost in the shuffle when it comes time to make a list of the best of the best. One such Director is Edward Zwick, whose credits include a long list of films that excel across the board. His pictures consistently deliver tightly-woven stories of some import, fine acting, well-staged action, and thought-provoking drama. Glory, Blood Diamond, and Legends of the Fall represent three of the director's best films, each one a beautifully-photographed and emotionally satisfying work of art that stimulates the visceral senses while engaging and embracing deeper psychological undertones. His latest effort, the 2008 World War II film Defiance, represents another solid outing by the director, the movie playing as classic Zwick with its breathtaking locales and photography, strong acting, moving story, and healthy doses of action. Though perhaps not quite as engaging as Glory or as meaningful as Blood Diamond, Defiance offers up an even-keel experience that both emotionally invests the audience in its characters and their plight while also entertaining on a more fundamental level. With Fascism on the march throughout Europe during World War II, Operation Barbarossa underway, and the elimination of the Jewish people at the forefront of Hitler's vision for a post-war and Nazi-led world, those Jewish peoples not yet imprisoned by the fall of 1941 found themselves in hiding from strong and determined German forces. Defiance tells the story of the Bielski partisans, Polish Jews who built for themselves a life deep in the dense forests of Eastern Europe while evading their would-be captors and murderers. Their parents slaughtered by Nazi forces, the surviving Bielski brothers -- Tuvia (Daniel Craig, Quantum of Solace), Zus (Liev Schreiber, The Manchurian Candidate), Asael (Jamie Bell, Jumper), and Aron (George MacKay) -- flee to the Lipiczanska Forest in August 1941. As time passes, the group adds to its numbers both people and weapons, building a community of survivors that have in common the shared goal of elusion, survival, and defiance of their would-be killers. Defiance plays at a "slow" pace, though that does not mean it plays at a "sluggish" pace. Instead, Defiance makes for a thought-provoking, deliberate experience where the emotional core of the story is allowed to at times idle, in a way drawing the audience into the plight of the characters as they struggle to survive against the German forces, the environment, and in some cases, one another. In a timeframe of just over two hours, the film allows the audience to experience the full spectrum of life in the Bielski camp, where staying alive and gathering necessities is not just a job but instead a way of life. The character that exemplifies the situation is a self-proclaimed "intellectual," Isaac Malbin (Mark Feuerstein), a former pamphlet-publisher who no longer reads and writes but instead works with his hands to build the camp and, by extension, a future for himself and his people. Feuerstein plays the role well, and indeed, the entire lead cast offers quality performances that span a broad array of emotional turmoil that lends further drama and realism to the picture. A film that is anything but glamorous, Defiance takes on a dreary, reflective, and melancholy tone that demonstrates the hardships, the dangers, and the prejudices faced by the Jews. The emotional over-and-undertones of the film come effortlessly together on-screen, the end result a satisfying emotional effort in classic Zwick fashion. Though the film may not be grounded in complete historical accuracy, it takes liberties only for slight dramatic license, although not at the expense of the essence of the story. Not only emotionally satisfying, Defiance serves up a healthy dose of action that punctuates the film at several junctures, each sequence delivering good, but not groundbreaking, battle sequences. Sufficiently intense, appropriately dramatic, and well-photographed, the action falls in line with the rest of the film and never interrupts the emotional core but rather tends to enhance it. The film also enjoys an Oscar-nominated score courtesy of James Newton Howard (King Kong). Also of note is the film's wonderful photography; Cinematographer Eduardo Serra, who also worked with Zwick on Blood Diamond, captures many a wonderful backdrops and vistas, whether framing static shots or kinetic action sequences. Finally, Defiance enjoys fine editing courtesy of longtime Zwick accomplice Steven Rosenblum. Of particular note is a sequence that intercuts the festivities of a wedding with an ambush on a German convoy, the juxtaposition both startling and startlingly effective, the pacing of the edits just right to underscore the thematic intent and emotional underpinnings of the sequence. Though not the best film in the Edward Zwick canon, Defiance delivers an experience reminiscent of the director's best efforts, this one perhaps not excelling in any one area but certainly not floundering in any, either. The film offers an important story told through pacing that allows the difficulties faced by the characters to become more palpable as the film moves on. Featuring strong acting, a solid emotional foundation, well-staged action sequences, an Oscar-nominated score, and fine photography and editing, Defiance sees everything come together nicely in a generally engaging film. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Defiance marks another fine effort from the studio. Though delivering only an average supplemental experience, the disc offers a strong lossless soundtrack and a stunning visual presentation. Recommended. Cast Notes: Daniel Craig (Tuvia Bielski), Liev Schreiber (Zus Bielski), Jamie Bell (Asael Bielski), Alexa Davalos (Lilka Ticktin), Allan Corduner (Shimon Haretz), Mark Feuerstein (Isaac Malbin), Tomas Arana (Ben Zion Gulkowitz), Jodhi May (Tamara Skidelsky), Kate Fahy (Riva Reich), Iddo Goldberg (Yitzhak Shulman), Iben Hjejle (Bella), Martin Hancock (Peretz Shorshaty), Ravil Isyanov (Viktor Panchenko), Jacek Koman (Konstanty 'Koscik' Kozlowski), George MacKay (Aron Bielski). IMDb Rating (04/22/15): 7.2/10 from 105,408 users IMDb Rating (06/19/10): 7.2/10 from 31,236 users
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