Review of Schindler's List (1993) by Matthew D — 24 Mar 2018

Steven Spielberg's greatest film in his entire career.

Steven Spielberg's movie masterpiece Schindler's List is a painstaking recreation of World War II that encompasses the Jewish population being rounded up by the Nazis, concentration camps, and the liberation of the Jews. It is massive in its scope, accounting for an entire Polish city's Jewish community. The story is absolutely devastating in its highly emotional representation of a displaced group of human beings. Schindler's List is a fascinating look at humanity during atrocity.

The protagonist, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) is a man of means that utilized his great wealth and charm to establish his business. Schindler's List portrays a man that profiteered off of Hitler's war crimes that ultimately must change in the face of the heinous activities carried out by German Nazis in Poland. Neeson's performance in Schindler's List is not only his greatest, but also his most empathetic and complex. He displays his wide range of acting abilities as a womanizing man that slowly realizes he could help the Jews throughout World War II. His performance affects your heart and soul as you cannot help but feel for his perspective. You see what he sees and come to understand how someone can transform over time.

Ben Kingsley plays Schindler's Jewish business accountant brilliantly. His acting is very subtle and emotive with his face, eyes, and carefully chosen words. Ralph Fiennes excellently portrays the cruel Nazi captain Amon Göth with such quiet evil and sincere madness, I guarantee you will be stunned by his acting. The acting from Neeson, Kingsley, and Fiennes will certainly reach you and pull you into the insanity and chaos of the second World War. Overall, the acting in Schindler's List is a landmark of stunning performances from the main and support cast.

John Williams' score is absolutely beautiful and tinged with sorrow throughout all the most emotional moments of the movie. Schindler's List is brimming with the anguish of the Jewish suffering and German cruelty. The most intimate moments and intense sequences have Williams' stunning score swell for peak emotional impact. I found myself soothed at times and equally distraught with sadness at how subtle and powerful Williams' composition hits. The violins are particularly lovely. I think any audience member will have the main melody played by the violins engraved into their memory forever after seeing Schindler's List.

Spielberg's own direction is immaculate in his directing, editing, cinematography, pacing, detailing, emoting, and framing. The choice for black and white really captivates the viewer as they are transported to World War II era Poland in all her pain. Spielberg deserves every bit of praise lavished on him for his leading Schindler's List from his mind, onto the screen, and into our hearts. Every scene is so beautifully set up, the framing shows everyone's faces, and the setting feels so real. The costumes look accurate to the time and location, while the lighting captures the eyes of the good speakers and the shadows of the villainous intentions. Spielberg truly managed to recreate World War II in Schindler's List in a way we can follow and appreciate all the anguish inflicted upon the Jews.

You must see this film.