Defiance (2008)

As far as true stories go, the events that inspired Edward Zwick's Defiance are incredible. The film, based on Nechama Tec's Defiance: The Bielski Partisans, tells the little-known tale of three Jewish brothers who escape Nazi-occupied Poland and proceed to lead a resistance against the Nazis during World War II. It's a piece of history that's well worth exploring in a feature film. Indeed, one of Defiance's major coups is that it's a story that presents the Jews as more than just passive victims: the Bielski brothers and their ever-increasing group of Jewish partisans are testament to man's unwavering will to survive. It's moving stuff.

Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell head up a virtually flawless cast. Craig's Tuvia is precisely the kind of role the actor appears to be relishing in light of his new-found fame: after exacting revenge upon the man responsible for his father's death, the eldest Bielski brother firmly believes that avoiding conflict in order to stay alive is the best course of action. Schreiber's Zus, however, remains adamant that the Jews should be fighting back, ultimately choosing to side with the Russians. Bell is a real standout as teen Asael, whose coming-of-age was worthy of further exploration: it's his finest performance to date.

Unfortunately, the strong cast is held back by a script that never allows us to connect with the Bielski brothers, and some fairly bland direction from Zwick. Some scenes stand out – there's a brutal sequence in which a Nazi is captured by the partisans who proceed to exact justice – and there's the occasional image that's potentially iconic: a wide-angled shot of the partisans wading through wetlands is a hint at what could have been. It may have been an intentional decision to shoot the picture with little flair in order to depict the events as true-to-life. However, the low-key approach is at odds with some decidedly Hollywood-esque heroics, rendering Defiance's dramatic sequences and action scenes as a bit flat, despite some impressive cinematography. The resultant effect means the characters' plights never feel as grave as they ought to. The movie is also sadly over-scored, with James Newton Howard's Oscar-nominated soundtrack weakening several key dramatic moments that would have played better without music.

Defiance's forest setting (Lithuania doubles for Poland) is impressively used, as the story spans roughly one year of time. Throughout autumn, Tuvia remains cognisant of food rationing during Poland's harsh winter. The elements and landscape are also adversaries with which the partisans need to contend.

As is standard for a "true story" adaptation, Defiance closes with a series of title cards revealing what became of the characters' real-life counterparts. It's only during these final seconds that the viewer really grasps the sheer scope of the story they just witnessed. For this alone, Defiance is a captivating tale worth seeing. One just wishes the film itself conveyed this sense of awe.