Imagine leaving home and returning to find your parents murdered. It’s a horrifying situation that none of us wish to experience. Unfortunately for the Bielski brothers, this tragedy befell them.
“”Defiance”” is the true, untold story of the Bielski brothers who risked everything to rebuild their shattered lives and the lost faith of their Jewish community. Tuvia Bielski (Daniel Craig) begins to build a community in the woods, however he is forced to flee when their safety is compromised. With winter approaching and food running short, some begin to question the leadership of Tuvia.
This true story is another classic David versus Goliath conflict. Some movies based on true events are taken a step further by Hollywood. Defiance is true and free of Hollywood’s ‘touching up’.
Not only were they battling the Nazis, they battled amongst each other as well. Zus and Tuvia always fought about how to deal with Nazis. One of the many powerful lines from Tuvia is, “”We may be hunted like animals, but we must not become animals.”” Looking beyond the squabbles that Tuvia’s community had, they were able to keep many of their own customs, from a wedding in the woods to a makeshift education system. Despite being driven from their homes, they still managed to maintain their identity.
All of the Bielski brothers display acts of heroism. Asael Bielski (Jamie Bell) steps up and shows his leadership qualities and the youngest, Aron Bielski (George MacKay), manages to capture a Nazi soldier.
Of course none of this would be possible without the help of a great cast. Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber lend their talents to make their characters incredibly believable. Edward Zwick’s choice to shoot the movie in Lithuania was perfect for recreating the Polish forests. Also, the occasional humor from Tuvia or Zus helps to lighten up the mood when it seems like the movie is purely depressing. It’s said we can learn from the past and what we can learn here is that, even in times of peril, if we all stick together and remain true to who we are, then there is nothing that we can’t do.
