Review of Schindler's List (1993) by Nathaniel B — 19 Feb 2017

Schindler's List is a testimony to the magic Spielberg has as a director. For a film over three hours it never disappoints due to the pacing and the fact that there is always something happening whether it be Schindler plotting business with Stern or Goeth sniping away Jews for sport.

One of it's biggest attractions for myself is how polar opposite Liam Neeson's Oskar Schindler is in comparison to Ralph Fiennes' Amon Goeth. There is an emotionally devastating scene where Schindler explains to Goeth that power is not superiority but in fact the opposite.

Then Goeth attempts to peruse Schindler's interpretation if power only to resort back to his savage slaughter of Jews. The plot allows the audience to take part in their own interpretation of the horror on screen by not using cheap tactics with music or jump cuts but instead showing it in it's gruesome obscenity.

It is the greatest film to depict the holocaust due to it's ability to tell an incredibly entertaining character driven story as well as a documentary type look on what should never happen again. What's really great about it is that there is never any censorship used to maintain a rating of any kind.

It shows extremely graphic violence and nudity in such a realistic way that for certain moments of the film I lost myself in the brutality like I was experiencing it myself. As far as the cast goes I was incredibly impressed with the chemistry certain members of the cast had, particularly Liam Neeson's business scenes with Ben Kingsley and especially Ralph Fiennes' romantic but at times depressing scenes with Embeth Davidtz.

In conclusion Schindler's List is a masterpiece of film and realistic depiction. It's easily a five star film and perhaps Spielberg's greatest film.