Although it feels a bit long by the time the credits roll, Defiance manages to keep your attention thanks to strong performances from its main cast, an important and historical plot (or as close to historically accurate as Hollywood can get), and an explosive final action sequence. The film also looks great on Blu-ray with every detail crystal clear.
Directed by Edward Zwick (who wrote the screenplay with Clayton Frohman), Defiance is based on the true story of the Bielski brothers and on the book Defiance: the Bielski Partisans by Nechama Tec. The film stars Daniel Craig (Quantum of Solace), Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Jamie Bell (Jumper), Alexa Davalos, and George MacKay.
Described as an “action-packed, epic tale,” Defiance actually moves at a rather slow pace with pockets of action as it follows the story of three Jewish brothers during World War II who become leaders of a group of resistance fighters and Jewish refugees.
Set in the woods of western Belorussia, the movie kicks off with the three Bielski brothers – Tuvia (Craig), Zus (Schreiber), and Asael (Bell) – finding each other after their parents and other siblings have been killed by the Germans. The three men also find their younger brother Aron (MacKay) hiding in the burned-out farm. The brothers head into the woods to hide from the Germans, but also to plan revenge on the local “police” that are helping the Germans hunt Jews. Along the way, they slowly start finding more Jewish refugees until they find themselves responsible for taking care of a large number of people.
Being the oldest, Tuvia steps in as leader of the camp (though you get the feeling he really didn’t want the job), and begins to figure out a way for them to survive by taking from the local farmers, engaging the Germans in small ambushes, and working with the invading Russian army (which are portrayed as having almost as much tolerance for the Jews as the Germans).
Tuvia also strives for all the Jews in the camp to hold onto their traditions and way of life so that in the woods they can live free as they have always done. Instead of a fighting band of partisans, Tuvia builds a community where everyone works, and everyone shares the food and supplies they have.
His belief that they should survive rather than all-out fight the Germans puts him at odds with his brother Zus – who lost his family to the Germans and rightfully wants revenge. The differences cause a split in the camp with Zus and several of the men leaving to go fight with the Russians.
Torn between his two brothers, Asael stays with the camp (though it seems to have more to do with a young woman than loyalty to Tuvia), and tries to help keep Tuvia’s dream alive.
As the group head into winter, shortages of food and the cold drive the camp (now numbering into the hundreds with refugees) to the edge of chaos, and sees Tuvia having to defend his leadership role in the community. There is also an extremely powerful scene when the camp members capture a German soldier and beat him to death for the crimes the Nazis have inflicted upon them.
While Tuvia struggles in camp, Zus learns the Russians are not much kinder to the Jews than the Germans, and use his fellow Jewish fighters for cannon fodder and suicide missions. He earns the “respect” of the Russian commanders, but also quickly sees that respect only goes as far as his fighting abilities.
The film continues to build tension with Tuvia struggling to keep the refugees in the camp alive and safe; Zus questioning his decision to leave his brother to fight with the Russians; and Asael trying to be a husband in such a hard time. The tension finally boils over in one huge action sequence that sees the Germans launching an all out assault on the woods, and the Bielski partisans making a final stand.
Without a doubt, Defiance is a good movie. At times it seems to drag, but the acting and attention to detail make up for any annoyances. Craig (even when seeming a bit more Bond than Tuvia) is at the top of his game, and demonstrates he truly is a good actor. His character is pushed to the limits, and the actor makes everything happening seem believable.
The same dedication and believability can be said for Schreiber and Bell. Schreiber has always been a solid actor, and seems at home in this kind of role (his performance reminded me of his Mischa character in 1999’s Jakob the Liar). After really only seeing him in Jumper and King Kong, I was impressed with Bell’s acting chops and the amount of emotion he was able to bring to the role of Asael. The film seems to make Tuvia the brains, Zus the guts, and Asael the heart of the three brothers. Bell makes this feeling work and makes the most of the screen time he gets.
In what could have been a minor role, Bell makes Asael important to the heart of the story. Tuvia says he wants the people to live as they always have with traditions and freedom. Bell’s Asael represents that freedom through his love story and his devotion to his brothers.
The film also benefits from extraordinary make-up, production sets, and costuming. These elements really shine on Blu-ray and make the film feel very real. These actors look like they are starving and freezing during the winter scenes (even if Craig still has some of his Bond buff). The levels of detail are even clearer on Blu-ray’s 1080p high definition picture and 5.1 Dolby TrueHD sound.
The Blu-ray also comes packed with some decent special features including commentary by director Edward Zwick, and several behind the scenes look at the production of the film. Defiance: Return to the Forest is a detailed look at the film's production from the early stages of pre-production to shooting on location in Lithuania.
Bielski Partisan Survivors and Children of the Otriad: The Families Speak give a look at the film and the refugee survivors through photos taken by Zwick, and descendents of the Bielski family touring the film's set - where they also tell stories of the real-life partisans along with efforts to preserve the brothers' legacy. There is also a look at the film’s music and its theatrical trailer.
Defiance is a solid movie from a director and cast who know how to handle the epic scope of its story. It does have some problems (mostly in pacing), but will manage to keep your attention from start to finish. It also serves as a reminder of the courage of these people to survive, and fight for their freedom.
Defiance [Blu-ray] is now available at Amazon . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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