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Defiance
Directed by: Edward Zwick Starring: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, Alexa Davalos Synopsis: Defiance tells the tale of the exploits of the Bielski brothers, a tough collection of Belarusan Jews who protected hundreds of refugees within the confines of a mobile, makeshift community in a forest fighting Germans, illness, the cold and each other.
First off, Defiance is not an action movie. Don't be fooled by the trailer. Think Schindler's List meets Robin Hood meets Tears of the Sun and you've got a rough idea of what this movie is about. The film purports to be a true story but I'm not sure where the facts begin and the dramatised changes kick in. It doesn't matter as it is an entertaining two and a half hours. It's not easy to watch, tragedy strikes almost every ten minutes but the movie is not as sentimental as the director's movies; Blood Diamond and The Last Samurai (I suspect this was down to James Newton Howard doing the score and not Hans Zimmer). Daniel Craig, once again, proves why he is such a hot property wether doing a Bond movie or not. He plays the part of Tuvia with a steely confidence.
However, the most noteworthy star to ascend via a powerhouse performance is Liev Schreiber. I've long since thought that Schreiber was patiently waiting for the right role to showcase his talents and here it is. The toughest of the brothers, Zus has no qualms about killing as many Germans as possible. His return to the family fold, towards the end, almost causes one to raise a fist in the air shouting "Yeah!" and then go back to being typically English and stoic. Screiber could easily do a "Rambo" but shows much promise as Wolverine's nemesis in the upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The perfomances are the main reason for watching the movie amidst the gloomy backdrop. There are some terrific set pieces like the ill-advised hit on a local police station - atmospheric and doomed from the onset. Jamie Bell, once again, pushes his Billy Elliot days far into the past with another great supporting perfomance. Fans of the television series Angel will recognise Alexa Davalos amoungst the many East-European actors. George McKay, who plays the young Aron Bielski looks uncannily like a younger Rupert Grint from the Harry Potter saga and makes a good account of himself in this film. The screenplay might not be as solid as it could have been, with a couple of "intellectuals" providing much needed comic relief at intervals but it does not spoil the enjoyment. It doesn't bear under analytical scrutiny but then how many average cinema goers really spend time nitpicking? Verdict: If you're waiting for Valkrie to be released on UK cinemas later this month, you could do worse than watch this movie. Recommended! 8/10 (Wayfarer)
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