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Defiance Our rating: Your rating:   MPAA rating: R (for violence and language) Genre: Action, Drama Theater release: December 31, 2008 by Paramount Vantage Directed by: Edward Zwick Runtime: 2 hours 17 minutes Cast: Daniel Craig (Tuvia Bielski), Liev Schreiber (Zus Bielski), Jamie Bell (Asael Bielski), George MacKay (Aron Bielski), Alexa Davalos (Lilka), Allan Corduner (Shamon), Mark Feuerstein (Malbin), Mia Wasikowska (Chaya) Related: Talk About It/Family Corner

From The Diary of Anne Frank and Sophie's Choice to Schindler's List and The Pianist, there have literally been hundreds of films depicting the Jewish Holocaust. Most depict the Jews as helpless victims, unable to defend themselves from horrifying adversity and oppression. But sometimes they fought back.

Such is the case in Defiance, based on the book of the same name by Nechama Tec. The film focuses on the story of the Bielski partisans in Eastern Europe. Many irregular military groups formed in opposition to Nazi occupation, using guerrilla tactics to stay alive and hamper German operations. Most of these partisans involved local fighters from around Russia and Yugoslavia—loosely formed, but experienced soldiers nonetheless. The Bielski partisans were comparatively untrained civilians, based in what is now Belarus (between Poland and Russia), yet they still grew into the largest group of Jewish partisans during the Second World War.

Daniel Craig as Tuvia Bielski

The film begins in 1941 with the aftermath of the raid on the Bielski family farm; thankfully, the audience is spared this monstrous act of violence. Watching from the nearby woods until the Nazis leave, Brothers Zus (Liev Schreiber) and Asael (Jamie Bell) quickly recover whatever they can—including their youngest brother Aron (George MacKay), also in hiding—before burying their family and retreating back into the forest. They're soon reunited with their eldest brother Tuvia (Daniel Craig), who has returned home to check up on the family.

It isn't long before the Bielski brothers discuss (and exact) revenge on those responsible for murdering their family … but what then? Where can they go as the persecution spreads? As they continue to make camp in the woods and raid local farms for food and supplies, they encounter other displaced Jews, reluctantly welcoming them into their fold, uncertain whether they can accept responsibility for their safety and well-being. Before long, their camp evolves into a community, and word spreads throughout the region that there's a place for the Jews to seek refuge.

Some of the early ads and press materials position Defiance as a revenge story, suggesting a violent movie about Jews exacting revenge on their persecutors. There are some shootings early on, and a couple of battles later in the film evoke the war-time intensity of Saving Private Ryan. But this is not a graphic portrayal of the Holocaust like Schindler's List with a nonstop parade of torture and execution; much of the violence is surprisingly bloodless.

Tuvia and his brother Zus (Liev Schreiber)

Defiance is more a remarkable tale of survival and compassion than it is a story of bloodshed. One can't help think of Robin Hood in the way the Bielski partisans raid the surrounding area while hiding in the forest, and their plight echoes pivotal tales of Jewish history—from Moses leading the squabbling Israelites in the wilderness to the Maccabees fighting for their liberation. I was even reminded of Richard Adams' modern classic Watership Down in the film's exploration of social interaction and empowerment among the refugees.

Because Defiance is primarily about the camp's struggle to survive, there's no specific adversary. For sure, the Nazi threat is always present, but much of the film focuses on the Bielski partisans battling cold, starvation, and illness during a bitter winter not unlike the American revolutionary troops at Valley Forge. They also face adversity from within as fear and uncertainty threaten to overcome them, leading to unrest and sedition.

In this way, the Bielski story is one about community. With strength in numbers and their collective skills, the Jews must learn that they need each other if they're to survive on their own in the wilderness. As Tuvia puts it, their goal is not to exact vengeance on their Nazi persecutors—"Our revenge is to live."

Mia Wasikowska as Chaya, Jamie Bell as Assael

Central to the story are the Bielski brothers, their responses to adversity shaped by their contrasting personalities. Because he's only a boy, Aron is understandably shocked into silence. In his late teens or early twenties, Asael is the most visibly shaken by all that happens. The two elder brothers show more resolve in their actions, yet find themselves at odds with each other. Zus comes across as more vengeful and calculating, while Tuvia seems more stoic and compassionate. Naturally, this leads to some divisions within the community as well as the family, but it's interesting to watch these brothers develop and discover what choices they make. Not everything plays out as expected, and that makes for compelling storytelling.

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