Review of Son of Saul (2015) by Jonathan B — 15 Jan 2016

One of those rare films that knocked me on my back and had me in the palm of its hand from beginning to end. Set over the course of a day at Auschwitz in 1944, Son of Saul is incredibly powerful and gripping.

With remarkable camera and sound work, it is unlike any Holocaust drama ever made and really gives a different experience of that hellish time. It's easy to see why it's won the vast majority of Best Foreign Film awards out there and is the heavy favorite for an Oscar.

It's also mind-boggling to think of as the debut of both writer-director Laszlo Nemes and lead actor Geza Rohrig, whose masterful work positions them for long and exciting careers ahead. Again, from beginning to end Son of Saul floors.

Its ambiguity and poetic nature, with regards to theme and symbolism, leave much room for reflection as well, and it's something I will remember for years to come.