“Defiance”

Rated R for violence and language.



“Defiance” is a Holocaust film but with hunks. The Jew-as-victim is a recurring theme in Holocaust films and critics often grow weary, quite reasonably. So along comes “Defiance,” which finally depicts Jews as action figures. And it happens to be a true story.

Film director and co-writer, Edward Zwick (”Blood Diamond” and “Glory”) tells the story of the four Bielski brothers of what is now Belarus. When the Nazis came to kill the Jews, the four Bielski brothers were able to escape and hide in the woods. (Their parents and two of the brothers’ wives and children were murdered.) They were soon joined by other Jews and before long they found themselves, perhaps unwillingly, the leaders of a moving village and partisan army.

Tuvia (Daniel Craig), Zus (Liev Schreiber), Asael (Jamie Bell) and little Aron (George MacKay) are the four brothers. Poor Aron plays not much of a role, being the baby brother; his part in the story is, I guess, to add some vulnerability to the family. Asael is the sensitive brother who wastes little time falling in love with a comely refugee lass. He goes from soft adolescent to tough soldier but he kind of fades into the background after the first half of the story. Clearly, the plot centers on the two tough and brawny brothers: Tuvia and Zus. Which one is the gutsier is open for debate. Both bash heads and kill Germans and Nazi collaborators without much pause … not that we can blame them.

For over two hours the brothers keep the band of refugees alive by moving them around and, when necessary, fighting back. They are able to get guns from attacking German patrols and food from farmers who can afford to “share.” Between all of the fighting and fleeing, Tuvia and Zus are able to find what they call “forest wives.” Naturally, for Hollywood’s sake, the wives look like they had access to make up trailers … but I won’t quibble.

Director Zwick does not hesitate to show the bloody parts. These guys were not the turn-the-other-cheek types. Shortly after their parents are murdered, Zus and Tuvia don’t hesitate to get some understandable revenge.

Later on, Tuvia prefers to focus on defensive action; acting like Moses, keeping his people on the move deeper and deeper into the forest, while Zus takes on the role of warrior by joining the Red Army. However, the Red Army’s anti-Semitism soon makes him regret his decision and shortly thereafter there is a dramatic reunion … just in the nick of time.

This movie made a dismal financial opening and will most likely lose money for the investors. The film is not brilliantly acted or directed. Despite the use of hunky stars, they come off wooden. The various characters in the band of refugees are a bit like a community theater’s version of “Fiddler on the Roof.” There is a scene when the brothers liberate some medicine from a Nazi outpost that uses some blurry slow motion camera work that is wacky and awkward. And I wasn’t crazy about the Polish/Russian accents adopted by Liev and Daniel; although I am not sure what I would have preferred.

On the other hand, a movie about the Holocaust that shows Jews resisting courageously is worth seeing. In fact, Daniel Craig gets to ride a white horse for a while. The symbolism is a tad blatant and overblown here and there, but why not? Because the story is so unique I should cut it some slack. Besides, this is an action film. One can’t help but admire these real heroes; forget the actors.

The brothers Bielski never sought fame or fortune for their courageous action. They died in obscurity. It is about time their amazing story was told.

Defiance earns three bow ties out of five.