DVD Review: “Defiance”

Defiance came out on DVD yesterday and, after seeing it, I have to say that this film could have just as easily been called “Survival” or “Determination.”  There’s something inspiring about watching the true story of people who overcome seemingly insurmountable odds while refusing to give up and back down.

Starring Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber, Defiance takes place during World War II and tells the story of the Bielski partisans and how the Polish Jews united to provide each other with common protection and to fight the German occupation.  In all of this, four brothers emerged – Tuvia (Craig), Zus (Scheiber), Asael (Jamie Bell) and Aron Bielski (George MacKay) – vowing to avenge their murdered parents.

After fleeing to the forest, they meet other escapees and, after a year under the leadership of the Bielski brothers, the number of refugees begins to grow but, unfortunately, their numbers begin to dwindle as the harsh conditions and continuous battles with the Germans take its toll.  The scenes are dramatic and the emotions are almost palpable through the screen.  I found myself drawn in to the plight of the characters since the scenery and acting was pretty realistic.

The film does have its problems, however, most notably the accents.  I give Craig and Schreiber credit for doing a good amount of dialogue in Russian but there were times when Craig’s accent (when he spoke English) was pretty abysmal but, with a storyline like this, I’m hardly going to complain.

I won’t give away the ending but despite the difficult journey, this is ultimately a story of triumph and, though it takes place during World War II, you do not need to be a history buff or a fan of war films to enjoy it.

images used with permission