Review of Defiance (2008) by Spangle — 17 Sep 2016

Defiance is a solid action film about a few unsung heroes of the Holocaust that helped to save thousands of Jews through their courageous acts. Starring Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, and Jamie Bell, as brothers who help to save the lives of their fellow Jews by forming a forest community and then vigorously protecting that community, the film is packed with action, motivational one-liners, and yet devoid of heart.

After Edward Zwick's terrific handling of other action films (Glory, The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond), I had high hopes for Defiance, in spite of the mixed reviews. As it stands, it is nothing but middling. The action is well shot and incredibly tense. Showcasing the isolation and desperation of their situation, the forest always proves to be a terrific staging area cinematically for the battle sequences. It adds a lair of confusion and disorientation that Zwick captures very well in these battles as they struggle to try and locate the enemy and the enemy struggles to locate them. Above all, the action sequences pack the biggest emotional punch of the film with the bravery and courageness on display and the sheer gravity of the situation in which they find themselves.

That said, beyond the action, there is not much here for me to chew on. The acting is hit-and-miss at best. I love Mia Wasikowska, but her supporting turn was painful. Hearing her cry gave me an ulcer. Liev Schreiber felt deeply insincere with every word he spoke. The only ones with any sort of passion were Daniel Craig and Jamie Bell. Alexa Davalos was solid, but certainly not anything special.

The writing, similarly, is hit-and-miss. I do feel as though the actors struggled with this writing that seemed to lack any punch whatsoever. For such an emotional story that is captured in the battles, the writing is simply sub-par. Every line just feels over-written and too much. The only lines with any real power come from Jamie Bell towards the end with the classic action movie motivational speech, except it actually works and truly gave me chills. Otherwise, however, the writing just felt and truly uninspired.

Finally, the atrocities committed by the Russians and even the Bielskis felt completely glossed over. Their killing was justified simply because they had been wronged and were on the path of vengeance. Despite their faults, the film hoists them up on its shoulders and elevates them to the status of Moses and other Jewish heroes in the Bible. For me, this feels a little much. They did certainly save lives and commit acts of bravery, but this does not make them perfect. It felt as if Zwick was simply uncomfortable criticizing his protagonists, which is really a shame since the film would have benefited from the more balanced coverage.

As a whole, Defiance is a solid action flick, but it lacks heart and emotion, which is inexcusable for a film with this premise. The acting and writing are both incredibly slack and the characterization is bordering on deification. That said, it certainly does entertain and provide some very well shot action sequences that capture the fear and tension of the situation.