Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3098 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-05-18
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 137 minutes

Synopsis
DEFIANCE is a different kind of World War II movie, one that looks at the Holocaust from a unique angle--telling the true story of a group of Jews in Eastern Europe who fought back. On the run from the Germans and the local police, the three Russian Bielski brothers--Tuvia (Daniel Craig), Zus (Liev Schreiber), and Asael (Jamie Bell)--hide out deep in the forest. Their numbers swell as more and more refugees join them, coming together to form a community while also patrolling with guns and shooting the enemy to stay alive. But Tuvia and Zus have a falling-out over what future direction to take: Tuvia thinks it best to remain in the forest despite the coming vicious winter, but Zus wants to join the Russian resistance, which is aggressively attacking the Nazis. Complicating the situation are the women in their lives, known as forest wives--Lilka (Alexa Davalos) shows interest in Tuvia, Bella (Iben Hjelje) grows close to Zus, and young Chaya (Mia Wasikowska) and Asael flirt with the tingles of first love. As food grows scarce, diseases increase, and the Nazis become determined to find and kill them, the Bielski Otriad struggles to survive, battling back when necessary, including taking up arms.
Directed by Edward Zwick (GLORY, BLOOD DIAMOND) and based on the nonfiction book by Dr. Nechama Tec, DEFIANCE is a powerful thriller filled with tense human emotion, a gripping story about brotherly love and the basic human instinct to survive against all odds. Craig (LAYER CAKE, CASINO ROYALE), Schreiber (EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED), and Bell (BILLY ELLIOTT) are terrific as the Bielski brothers, three very different individuals who simply refuse to just lie down and die.

Customer Reviews

Defying the odds
Defiance [Blu-ray] [2008]
First of all, Amazon service, shipping etc., is excellent. Even the SA Post Office did their job well as I received this package in excellent condition in a maximum of 10 days. This was really great!

I saw defiance on the Art Circuit in South Africa and thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes, it is depressing at times, but also humorous at others. What makes it quite extraordinary is the passion with which Daniel Craig portrays the role of Tuvia. All the other actors are also playing with a similar passion and I suppose this comes from inside of each actor but also the guidance given by the director, Edward Zwick.

I will most likely never understand (humanly) why the 2nd World War had the atrocities it did, as I would not understand current day atrocities in central and other parts of Africa, Middle East, etc. Movies such as Defiance though, tend to remind us that human nature can easily fall into total disarray and people can easily become as animals or barbarians.

This is a must see for everyone interested in World War 2, Holocaust or Jewish History. I addition it is also excellent viewing just for the sake of an action, thriller drama with a bit of romance weaved through it.

Highly recommended!

A true story
A 'true story' of the Bielski brothers , group of Jewish survivors from the Nazi invasion who decided to take a chance and live in the forest.

The movie skips a few unpleasant episodes of the story that perhaps were not very suitable for the main audience but success in presenting the gruelling conditions of the life in the forest in the middle of a bitter winter with hardly any supplies and surrounded by enemies.

The Bielki brothers are portraited as flawed heroes, which is what makes them so real and so fascinating and adds realism to the story.

The production values are excellent and the direction lets the movie down a bit but Craig , Schreiber and Jamie Bell balance that with good acting and a few good lines.

4 stars

Superb...
....what a brilliant movie. My first Blu-ray DVD purchase and what an excellent choice.