Review of Ashes and Diamonds (1958) by Jens T — 25 May 2012

Andrzej Wajda's Ashes and Diamonds is the last film in the highly acclaimed war trilogy that put Poland on the map of greatest film nations. This series has been a great success in Poland because it follows the second world war through the eyes of the rebellious youth. We have follow them through the greatest event during the war, like the Warsaw up-spring. But in this last chapter is set during one single day, May 8, 1945 the liberation day when the Germans finally surrendered, but the future is still uncertain, because of the strong communist influence that is certainly going to grip the power.

But there's a nationalist group that will prevent the communist of taking control, and one of this nationalists are the young Maciek who is ordered to kill one of the communist leaders. So we follow him in the last hours before he's about to conduct his assignments. The war has given him many mental scars through the years. From fighting the nazis to now fighting the communists. He wear sunglasses all the time, not because it makes them cool, like James Dean, but because all the time in the sewer during the up spring. "I wear these for my father land" as he puts it.

My opinion about this film how ever is that it's kind of a slow film. I am a little afraid for saying what I'm about to say, but I actually hoped it would been much better, and with more action, and it isn't as great as the two previous films. I hoped that this last chapter would lead to something big. The one of the few things that was thrilling was the opening scene, but while watching the rest of the movie, I wasn't that impressed. But it's an alright story, though nothing more. But the main character is just as cool as James Dean, he have the same view towards authorities. So because of that I give this movie a marginal thumbs up.