"Uprising," from what I know, is pretty accurate as far as most "Based on a true story" films go. But the dramatic events portrayed are exciting and exhilarating to a degree that the director's original intention gets out of hand.
Director John Avnet claims that he wanted to do a film on the subject of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising because he was tired of seeing films that depicted Holocaust victims (in particular, Jews) as helpless, passive people, being lead like sheep to slaughter. Jewish leaders (of their councils) collaborated with the Nazis in the holocaust, and this is something that is very frustrating for Jews and others who study this history. Avnet wanted to show that this passive destruction wasn't always the case when it came to the "final solution." There were Jews who resisted, and none are more legendary than those of the Warsaw Ghetto. Television critics have also pointed out that the concept of Jewish resistance is fresh, and this production wouldn't contribute to apathy when it comes to more and more films on the holocaust.
But "Uprising" has too many moments of exhilarating action, scenes of heroic resistance that more resemble those of action films, not of serious drama that this story calls for. With very good production values, camera work, and performances, "Uprising" is a moving entertainment, however, most would agree that this subject requires more. The doomed Jews of the Warsaw ghetto were fighting for their dignity, to inflict casualties on their genocidal enemy--they all knew they were going to die. The futility of this situation came off somewhat better, if on less of a grand scale, in the 1978 mini-series, "Holocaust."
As for the performances, Hank Azaria does a good job in his role as the uprising's leader, although the real Mordechai Anielewicz was twenty years younger. Donald Sutherland represents the passive side of the Jewish councils as a negotiable and submissive Ghetto leader. Cary Elwes gives off a chilling performance as Fritz Hippler, whose contribution to genocide was in his films. But the performance I was most impressed with came from Leelee Sobieski: as a female resistance fighter, she came off very tough, stoic, determined, and... dare I say sexy? She was well deserving of her Golden Globe nomination.
A good film, just maybe a little more entertaining than it should be. Grade: B
Director John Avnet claims that he wanted to do a film on the subject of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising because he was tired of seeing films that depicted Holocaust victims (in particular, Jews) as helpless, passive people, being lead like sheep to slaughter. Jewish leaders (of their councils) collaborated with the Nazis in the holocaust, and this is something that is very frustrating for Jews and others who study this history. Avnet wanted to show that this passive destruction wasn't always the case when it came to the "final solution." There were Jews who resisted, and none are more legendary than those of the Warsaw Ghetto. Television critics have also pointed out that the concept of Jewish resistance is fresh, and this production wouldn't contribute to apathy when it comes to more and more films on the holocaust.
But "Uprising" has too many moments of exhilarating action, scenes of heroic resistance that more resemble those of action films, not of serious drama that this story calls for. With very good production values, camera work, and performances, "Uprising" is a moving entertainment, however, most would agree that this subject requires more. The doomed Jews of the Warsaw ghetto were fighting for their dignity, to inflict casualties on their genocidal enemy--they all knew they were going to die. The futility of this situation came off somewhat better, if on less of a grand scale, in the 1978 mini-series, "Holocaust."
As for the performances, Hank Azaria does a good job in his role as the uprising's leader, although the real Mordechai Anielewicz was twenty years younger. Donald Sutherland represents the passive side of the Jewish councils as a negotiable and submissive Ghetto leader. Cary Elwes gives off a chilling performance as Fritz Hippler, whose contribution to genocide was in his films. But the performance I was most impressed with came from Leelee Sobieski: as a female resistance fighter, she came off very tough, stoic, determined, and... dare I say sexy? She was well deserving of her Golden Globe nomination.
A good film, just maybe a little more entertaining than it should be. Grade: B