This saga is the story of youths in Nazi Germany, but the story holds true in all countries and throughout time. It is the story of growing up with the convictions we were taught, believing whatever party line we're being assured of, then dealing with the consequences.
The poet and the warrior join the army. They are assured that the Russians are frankly too stupid to properly use their land, that war is glorious, and that life will be great in six months with Russia conquered. They, the twentysomethings, are assured of this by their parents' generation.
Along their path, they actually meet some Jews and Russians, and over the course of time realize that these are actually people who should not be talked down to. (!) So how realistic were the battle scenes? They were right at "Saving Private Ryan" thrilling, but I'm not sure how many lieutenants led squads while wielding a submachinegun. But this movie was not about military hardware or squad tactics.
How realistic is it that the friends meet up on the front lines? Well, this movie is a statement on something else, not a historic piece.
Did the Polish resistance want to do harm to every Jew? The point of the movie is that Jews were in constant fear and this movie portrayed that very well. It was also downright commical how at the movie's end the background characters were speaking effusively how they tried to help the Jews throughout the war... this added to the power of the story; we all know That Guy who was in favor of invading Iraq, of imprisoning Richard Jewel, or some other rush-to-injustice, who then portrays himself as misunderstood and needing to set the record straight.
What this movie succeeds at brilliantly is taking the viewer on the journey from believing the fairytales of our youth into the the real world, and determining for ourselves what is true, and what is just, and they all find themselves able to determine their own punishments.
So this movie started out with youths celebrating the impending destruction of Russia, and what a good thing that will be, and ends with "Russians are the goodguys" and all the grey areas that still exist... I mean, if a guy is a badguy he should be punished, right? So why did the US tolerate the one character?
Greta's last scene was straight up opera. Fantastically composed, it deserves every single award that film can give. I was crying like a school girl.
Anyone who isn't floored by the excellence of this saga... the problem is with them.
The poet and the warrior join the army. They are assured that the Russians are frankly too stupid to properly use their land, that war is glorious, and that life will be great in six months with Russia conquered. They, the twentysomethings, are assured of this by their parents' generation.
Along their path, they actually meet some Jews and Russians, and over the course of time realize that these are actually people who should not be talked down to. (!) So how realistic were the battle scenes? They were right at "Saving Private Ryan" thrilling, but I'm not sure how many lieutenants led squads while wielding a submachinegun. But this movie was not about military hardware or squad tactics.
How realistic is it that the friends meet up on the front lines? Well, this movie is a statement on something else, not a historic piece.
Did the Polish resistance want to do harm to every Jew? The point of the movie is that Jews were in constant fear and this movie portrayed that very well. It was also downright commical how at the movie's end the background characters were speaking effusively how they tried to help the Jews throughout the war... this added to the power of the story; we all know That Guy who was in favor of invading Iraq, of imprisoning Richard Jewel, or some other rush-to-injustice, who then portrays himself as misunderstood and needing to set the record straight.
What this movie succeeds at brilliantly is taking the viewer on the journey from believing the fairytales of our youth into the the real world, and determining for ourselves what is true, and what is just, and they all find themselves able to determine their own punishments.
So this movie started out with youths celebrating the impending destruction of Russia, and what a good thing that will be, and ends with "Russians are the goodguys" and all the grey areas that still exist... I mean, if a guy is a badguy he should be punished, right? So why did the US tolerate the one character?
Greta's last scene was straight up opera. Fantastically composed, it deserves every single award that film can give. I was crying like a school girl.
Anyone who isn't floored by the excellence of this saga... the problem is with them.