Defiance ~~~~

Satisfying, 'non-Hollywoody' WWII show of defiance.

Persecuted and mercilessly hunted by both Nazis' and local anti-Semites, the inhabitants of Belarussia's villages risk everything to strike out against their murderous oppressors and take refuge in the forests of their country.

Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell head up a solid and interesting cast of Jewish locals who not only try to save themselves, but make the choice to save others.

The spirit of camaraderie gets the better of the band of brothers whose family are ruthlessly murdered during the war. Each brother in turn has to accept what has happened on their own terms and, indeed, have to battle their own demons and, in the case of the two older brothers, each other.

Subtlety handled and brilliantly filmed and directed, what could have been turned into a melodramatic, OTT war flick actually turned out to be an evenly-keeled 'human' action drama.

Without giving any of the story away, this film will whisk you physically and emotionally into the forests of Eastern Europe where thousands of brave men and women risked their families and lives to ensure they outlive the brutal and murderous intentions of the Nazis' and their allies. A little known piece of unbelievable history is finally given the airing it deserves. It never ceases to amaze me how brave, selfless and courageous people can be in the face of unprecedented brutality. A really heart-warming and historically interesting film and one which I hope can be watched and enjoyed, particularly by a younger generation, whilst learning something new about both the determination and brutality of those alive during the war.