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Film Title: Defiance

 Best for ages: 16 and up.

Movie Website:  Click Here

Year Released: 2008

Rated: R (US)

SYNOPSIS

   Defiance is based on the true story of the Bielski brothers whom watched the Nazi's kill their family and friends and destroy their village. To avoid confrontation with the Nazi army they hide out in the Lipiczanska Forest.  While there they learn to use the forest to help hide themselves and other Jews. They frequently visit non-Jewish friends to get food, but as time moves on those friends are killed by the Nazi's for being Jew sympathizers, and the Bielski brothers find themselves finding more Jewish people in the forest and they all band together to help one another. As there numbers grow they become more organized, building homes in the forest and, getting food and weapons in both forceful and non-forceful ways. But as the Nazi armies move in they are forced to move there camp deeper and deeper into Russian territories. They build a new camp in the Russian forest and come to an agreement with a Russian militant group. But as time moves on the brother grow apart from one another. Tuvia (Danial Craig)  and the youngest brother Asael (Jamie Bell) just want to live in peace in the forest and avoid the Nazi army at all costs, while Zus ( Liev Schreiber) wants to join up with the Russian Militants and fight the Nazi armies. In the end however the brothers will both have to face the truth and face the army that wants to wipe out there people.

THE REVIEW

     It seems to be a week where I have been watching a lot of films about World War II, so why not end it with one. Defiance is a film about survival, and how a group of close brothers will go out of there way to keep their faith and their people alive at all costs.  This is a film that despite it's violent actions and content, that has a true message of courage and history to it.

   The film is a long, and at times can get a bit boring if your one of those people who needs action thrown in your face every few minutes. The script has an even base of being both character and story driven. Yes, the film does run long at a hundred and thirty-six minutes, but the even base of the films story really keeps the viewer interested. I for one found the development of the characters to be the key to the whole film, as the Bielski brothers are very interesting men that did a good thing during World War II.

   The films acting is one of it's strong points. I for some reason never really cared much for Daniel Craig as James Bond, but think he's a brilliant actor. I've only seen him in a few films but I think his performance in this film is the best I've seen so far from him. Liev Schreiber is one of those actors that I have always thought was great at whatever he does. He can play any part in any film and has such a broad range of characters that he can play. In this film his performance is no different than it is in any of the other films we've seen in him. He's just a brilliant actor, with a bright future ahead of him. Young and upcoming actor Jamie Bell whom gave us one hell of a performance a few years back with Billy Elliot also has a great performance in this film as well. The whole supporting cast in this movie did a great job, and all seemed to really give this film that realism and feel it needed to come off a truly worthy film about World War II.

   The DVD has a few features which include Commentary with Director Edward Zwick and two featurettes titles Return to Forest: The Making of Defiance and Children of the Otriad: The Families Speak. It also has the theatrical trailer and more.

   Overall, Defiance is a film that is full of a lot of intense moments and does have some scenes in which involve violence, graphic content and a lot of bad language. However, it is one of those films that based on a true historic story. It's a film about World War II and if your child is learning about World War II in history class this film is one of those movies that's just as important as Schindler's List. It's not as graphic and violent as Schindler's List, but this is a whole other story about Jewish people who tried to survive and avoid the Nazi's as well as fought them off. I say if your thirteen or fourteen year old has taken an interest in World War II this film is something that despite some of it's content you might want to watch for the history of the story. It's an overall very long film, but it's a good one that I'm sure the majority of people would enjoy.

Why is this film Not Rated?

Violence:

Fighting: YES

Killing: YES

Guns: YES

Gun Fights: YES

People/Animals being shot (shot at) (by gun ,arrow or other projectile weapons): YES

Stabbing/Strangling: YES

Bombings: YES

Women harmed/killed: YES

Children harmed/killed: YES

Domestic Violence: YES (But there is a scene where a small argument ensues and a women's arm is grabbed hard by a man. A women is also slapped in the face by a man.)

Animated Violence: (Cartoon Violence similar to Looney Toons) NO

Graphic Content:

Sex: YES (Non-Graphic)

Nudity: NO

Partial Nudity (Underwear/bra/bikini): YES (There are some women bathing in a river, but are in clothes that one can only describe as undergarmaents of the time.)

Revealing Clothes (Cleavage/low cut shorts/pants): YES

Blood: YES

Shootings: YES

Gore: YES

Sickness: YES

Death: YES

People Dying: YES

Drowning: NO

Suicide: NO

Police Brutality: YES

Corruption: YES

Drug Use: NO

Alcohol Use: YES

Smoking: YES

Greed: YES

Gambling: YES

Language:

Insults (Jerk, Idiots etc..) YES

Cursing: YES

Crude Language: YES

Sexual Innuendos: YES

Sexual Insults: YES

Sexual Come-ons: YES

Adult Conversations: YES

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