After Mission Impossible’s Tom Cruise appeared earlier this year as a ridiculous one-eyed turncoat Nazi in Valkyrie, it seems only fitting to now see the latest James Bond embody the role of a ridiculously blue-eyed Eastern European Jew in Definace. Daniel Craig has taken the switch from shaken martinis to home-brewed vodka well; based on a true story, Defiance sees Craig pull all the right emotional punches to create a captivating wartime drama,  partly making up for all the wrong ones he pulled in Quantum of Solace.  It might not be as hard hitting as The Pianist, or as action packed as Saving Private Ryan (it’s certainly as long), but there’s something oddly refreshing about a film that sits defiantly in the middle.

The film begins with actual archive footage of Hitler and the SS Guard, before blending it into the decidedly Hollywood treated tale of four brothers who hide from the occupying Nazi’s in a nearby Belorussian forest.  There they discover more Jews in hiding, banding together to create a forest community with the hope of outlasting the war. The second eldest of the brothers Tuvia (Daniel Craig) takes command of the group, yet his passive approach to leadership aggravates his eldest brother Zus (Liev Schreiber), who wants to take the fight to the Germans and avenge the lives lost.  As the forest community continues to grow, the collection of food and the building of shelter becomes paramount in order to survive the harsh winter that looms.

Director and screenwriter Edward Zwick makes a point of not providing any scope of the war that rages on around the forest, keeping the camera firmly focused on the Jewish community. Consequently, news about distant loved ones is delivered to the community by word of mouth and time is only discernible from the changing seasons.  This centred storytelling approach helps to establish a more intimate relationship with the characters, perhaps at the expense of visual engagement.  For this reason, Defiance is intermittently peppered with well captured action, making the 137 minutes of character centric drama more digestible. Yet because the inspirational characters easily captivate, the long runtime is easily forgiven. Each of the brothers is enacts their own definition of defiance; Tuvian believes he is defying the Germans by simply surviving, whilst Zus opts to fight the common enemy with a nearby Soviet company. Meanwhile, the second youngest brother Asael (Jamie Bell) attempts to make the most the unique situation and pursues a young beauty by the name of Chaya.

Thankfully, the multiple romantic subplots do not dissolve the film’s often harrowing depiction of violence during wartime. Whilst certainly probing for our sympathy, Zwick doesn’t always glorify the efforts of Jewish survivors. Desensitised and enraged by the loss of loved ones, the brothers must fight the urge to become just as savage as the German’s hunting them.  The three stars – Daniel Craig, Liev Schrieber and Jamie Bell – excel at conveying the struggle within. Schrieber in particular masterfully adds multiple dimensions to his torn character; his thirst for revenge conflicts with his responsibility to protect the Jewish community.  Bell’s character begins a shy, sulky young boy and gradually grows into a headstrong leader whilst Craig’s character, unable to see a resolve, starts to lose hope. Together, they drive the story forward even when timer ticks over two hours,  making Defiance a worthy addition to the strong lineage of Holocaust films.

Verdict:

Don’t count on a historically accurate war drama thanks to the Hollywood treated screenplay, but do count on an emotive, engaging and inspirational story about the spirit of survival, bravery and brotherhood.

Defiance opens in Australia on the 30th of April.

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