Defiance

This is certainly a Holocaust film with a difference. At last Jews are standing up and fighting, not going like sheep to the slaughterhouses of Europe. And the great thing is that it’s a true story. Based upon a book by Nehama Tec Defiance gives us a story that examines morality, rivalry, revenge, survival and more.

Tuvia says “Our revenge is to live. We may be hunted like animals but we will not become animals.” The moral issue of revenge looms large in the film, and on this the two brothers are initially at opposite ends of the spectrum. Zus is tough, ready to kill all who threaten his safety and even joining up with the Russian partisans. Tuvia is a softer person, feeling that gratuitous killing of collaborating villagers should not happen. Zus stresses that their forest hideout cannot take unlimited people. Tuvia asserts that however many come, all will be taken in, protected and fed as best as possible.

The recreation of the forest encampments is extremely well done. Filming in Lithuania, director Zwick depicts how men and women from all backgrounds – lawyers, farmers, doctors, teachers, carpenters – build makeshift villages with underground dugouts. Men and women are trained in weaponry (stolen from attacks on Germans) and fight alongside each other. They all face disease, malnutrition, and freezing winters. The ghastly conditions are authentically and persuasively portrayed.

There is plenty of tension and thrilling moments, especially as the Germans close in on the band, as they flee from camp to camp. Tension is also strong between the brothers, who display high levels of rivalry. Craig (best known as the latest James Bond) shows what a versatile actor he is, but Schreiber keeps his Zus at a fairly consistently gruff level, with not enough light and shade. Bell has matured nicely as an actor to portray the youngest brother.

There is also a modicum of nicely done romance as camp members take up with “forest wives and husbands”. Two of the women, Chaya (Australian actor Mia Wasikowska) and Lilka (Alexa Davalos) are notable for their impressive performances.

This is a remarkable story, and yet, inspiring as some elements of the film are, overall there is something non-remarkable about the film. There are several almost cheesy and predictable moments, done in a fairly formulaic style. With such a mind-blowing story I would have hoped for something a little more unusual in the directorial style. Scenes of Tuvia on his horse, in a near Messianic pose are too overdone, and sentimentalized violinists, ravenous potato-eaters, and tubercular old teachers also smack of the formulaic.

Nevertheless, Defiance is a great story, almost lost to time after the brothers emigrated to Israel and New York. And it is certainly a film that deserves to be seen as a testament to the heroic spirit of survival and the humanitarian impulse to save others at any cost.

Want more about this film?

Want something different?