Review of Schindler's List (1993) by Alec B — 01 May 2016

There's a frustrating oversimplification to many pieces of the narrative which has always kept me from thinking this is the unimpeachable masterpiece everyone says it is. That being said, it's hard to deny the powerful emotional impact the film has, even after repeated viewings.

It's not Spielberg's best work, but the black and white documentary style keeps a lot of the movie from becoming as emotionally manipulative as his worst stuff can be (well, at least until the ending).

The real key to the movie's success is Liam Neeson's remarkable and complex performance. A lesser actor might have been able to sell Schindler's charisma but not his slowly evolving sense of empathy.