Review of Schindler's List (1993) by Benskylerhill — 07 May 2018

Schindler's List is Steven Spielberg's masterpiece. He directs Oskar Schindler's story of redemption with pure artistry, never sanitizing any of the brutal aspects of the Holocaust. This movie is not for the faint of heart, but if it can be stomached it provides hope that goodness can be found in any circumstance.

At over three hours, the entirety of this film cannot be condensed into one review, but let it be known that the story is told brilliantly through its technical mastery. Spielberg's use of color and the lack thereof set a proper tone and provide thought-provoking symbolism throughout. The editing of sound and the transitions from scene to scene are near-perfect, always serving the purpose of setting a sharp contrast between event and mood, so as to induce more thinking from the audience.

The character of Oskar Schindler is treated in such a way that he is relatable and simply human, which further bolsters the purpose of the movie. The writers did not shy away from showing in great detail his moral flaws and other character imperfections. None of us are perfect, even the greatest heroes among us, and Schindler truly was one of those heroes, despite his flaws. Neeson does a fantastic job at playing two roles in the film: the pre-redemption and post-redemption Schindler. Ralph Fiennes also brilliantly portrays his character, depicting the truth that evil is often caused in men because they are broken. He is just as conflicted as anyone else would be, and it eats away at him, worsening his moral nature even further. Really, what Schindler's list really does wonderfully is its presentation of its themes. With its technical work, realistic acting, and well-crafted script, it leaves nothing unclear and sends powerful messages that are well worth pondering. The only area that is fails is pacing. It's not nearly as dry as one would think it would be with a 195-minute runtime, but there are moments where it feels like the exact same thing is happening more than once, and the second and third acts thus feel like a bit of a drag at several points. But despite this, Schindler's List is a well-layered, strikingly well-organized account of a true story that packs an emotional punch that teaches a great deal of good about the persistence of human virtue.

Story: 9.5.

Acting: 10.

Script: 10.

Visuals/Sound: 10.

Entertainment Value: 9.5.

OVERALL SCORE: 9.