(Review originally written at 19 February 2006)
"Schindler's List" is a powerful movie that is a reminder to the world of where hatred can lead to. The movie shows the Holocaust in the most powerful and confronting way possible. It doesn't hold back with its images or story. In that regard "Schindler's List" is a daring movie but the end result is more powerful than you could have ever imagined. The movie tells the true story of Nazi-party member Oskar Schindler, who as the war progresses sees more and more horrors of the Holacaust and decides to help the Jews in the best way possible for him.
"Schindler's List" is honestly one of the movie powerful movies ever created. Since almost everything in the movie is based on true events it makes it all even more powerful. It's hard to imaging that these horrible things all actually truly occurred. The movie is filled with graphic, confronting and humiliating images. It provides the movie with some unforgettable sequences that will leave a lasting impression on you. Never has the Holocaust been brought to the silver screen in such a detailed and confronting way. Not everyone will be able to handle watching "Schindler's List". It really is not a movie for the faint of heart.
Spielberg delivers with this movie his most important and perhaps also most personal and best movie. The storytelling of the movie is perfect and the way it focuses on the many characters of the movie is spot-on. It follows many different Jewish characters who all had their different experiences.
Yes, the movie does become over-sentimental at times, especially toward the ending but in this case I forgive Spielberg. It in no way makes the movie any less powerful or meaningful. The message of the movie comes trough very hard and direct. Everyone should watch this movie, not only because it's such a good one but especially because it's a very important one.
The movie is filmed in black & white. I think main reason for this was to make the movie look less graphic, since the main essence of the movie should not be on the graphic images but on the confronting and realistic emotions of history. It's not a movie that tries to shock, it's a movie that confronts in a very direct way instead. Whatever the real true reason was for making the movie in black & white, it works really well for the movie its time period and atmosphere. The lighting of director of photography Janusz Kaminski is really phenomenal at times. Also the dramatic musical score by John Williams is impressive and makes some of the sequences work even extra powerful.
Also the acting is great in this movie. The Jewish persons are mostly played by unknown and unexperienced actors. It makes them. in their roles, extra credible and believable. We see them as persons, not as actors playing persons. That's also another reason why the movie works powerful, the characters are all very real. Not only the Jews but also the Nazi-Germans. The movie launched the careers of both Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes. Liam Neeson is great as the main lead and Ralph Fiennes is truly chilling as the camp commander Amon Goeth. Another fine impressive role is being played by Ben Kingsley.
Among the best movies of the 20th century but more important, it's a very important movie that reminds us of what happened- and should never happen again.
10/10
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