Defiance

I’ve always been a big fan of Daniel Craig. I think he’s the best James Bond the series has had in years and the rest of his films (Layer Cake, in particular) are top notch.

Needless to say, I was intrigued when I found his relatively unsuccessful World War II action drama Defiance while looking for something decent to watch on Netflix Watch Instantly the other night.

Defiance is set during the occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany. It tells the story of the four Bielski brothers,a band of forest dwelling Jews who defied the Nazi regime and saved more than 1,000 lives in the process.

It’s a two hour mix of drama, action, and interesting twists. It wasn’t a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination but as far as historical fiction goes, it was a damn good movie. It’s a bit odd to watch an Englishman play a Jewish man but if you can put that aside, you’re in for a good show.

13 Responses

  1. Mr. Six says:

    Daniel Craig is a very underrated actor. He was a much needed breath of fresh air to the James Bond legend (although Quantum Of Solice wasn’t the greatest of movies.)

    Layer Cake is phenomenal, and I rather enjoyed Defiance.

  2. avatardvr says:

    Thoroughly enjoyed Defiance.

  3. Devin says:

    You are probably not looking to do this, but as far as myself goes, I would always enjoy the occasional tip about something good on Netflix Watch Instantly. I’ll check this out on your recommendation.

  4. Anonymous says:

    my wife and I found this movie by chance in the dollar section of the local video rental place. well worth a watch.

  5. Mr. Gold says:

    Daniel Craig is definitely not a good James Bond in my opinion. In fact, I don’t even regard his movies as Bond movies anymore, because they’re just American-style action movies, the whole Bond vibe is gone. Probably explains why you guys like it, but I still prefer Connery, Moore and especially Brosnan.

  6. All Clowns Are Evil says:

    Not a bad film. The original story based on is even more interesting still. Mostly about how they survived the harsh winters and made their own fuel and shelters.

    And yes, Layer Cake is just one of those movies everyone should see. Well produced, well shot and a good story line.

    Why is it though almost every film lately has been god-awful. Machete, Inglorious Basterds, The transporter series? The Expendables?! People will watch any shite these days. The last film I saw that was anywhere near good was Moon. These days more thought goes into Youtube videos than big screen productions.

  7. All Clowns Are Evil says:

    Mr Gold.

    I disagree in part. The first Daniel Craig bond film was the best yet. It relied less on special effects and gadgets and Bond was a tad mentally unhinged. If you read the original Bond books, he was an alcoholic, heavy smoking, part-time depressive psychopath.

    The second Daniel Craig outing was a let down though. It was back to cheesey one liners and lots of whizz-bangs.

  8. goku's #1 fan says:

    He also plays a Jew in Munich, another good film. I’ll keep an eye out for this, thanks

  9. Anonymous says:

    The film is actually based on a true story, i wouldn’t consider it historical fiction

  10. Mr. Pink says:

    Anonymous – Based on a true story doesn’t mean that it’s not more or less a work of fiction.

  11. The Goddam Batman says:

    Loved this flick, not only do they pull of a russian accent flawlessly but they also speak their russian very well.

  12. Anonymous says:

    I watched layer cake on your recommendation…..

    And it was a very good movie! You should do some more movie reviews!

  13. Dan says:

    Same director as The Last Samurai.
    Not that unusual, there are lots of Jewish Englishmen.

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