“Defiance” (2008)

Posted by Movie_Maven

June 15, 2009 |

Oh those blue eyes of Daniel Craig…wow. I’m not particularly a fan of him as James Bond but in “Defiance” he was amazing as one of the three Jewish Bielski brothers (the other two played by Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell) who, during WWII, rescued several Jews, maintained a forest-based camp in German-occupied Belarussia, and taught them to protect themselves through hard work and trust. Directed by Academy Award winner Edward Zwick, this film effectively balances the horrors of war with the triumph of the human spirit and illustrates how the will to survive can overcome anything.

There is definitely no glamorization of war, moments of heavy-hitting action and some intensely violent scenes but these are offset by the superb acting, direction and character development. Highly recommended. Bring some tissue.