Defiance

Movie review by Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media
Defiance Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 18+

Brave brothers risk all in brutal, graphic WWII epic.

R 2008 137 minutes
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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 6 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 13 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this war movie isn't for kids. There are many fierce battles and violently graphic killings, as well as executions of unarmed citizens. Other images include hand-to-hand combat, mob beatings, point-blank shootings, and barbaric, inhumane treatment of the Jewish population. The language is very strong as well, with lots of harsh swearing. There's some suggested sexuality, but nothing explicit and no nudity. Soldiers and resistance members drink vodka in many scenes, sometimes to excess. But if they can handle the intense content, this movie could offer mature teens and young adults a valuable look at a momentous period of recent world history and a vivid example of heroism -- as well as power and prejudice run amok.

Community Reviews

knwmn
knwmn Adult
March 7, 2019
age 13+

It's Real

Yes their is violence in this movie, but in par with war movies and even less than many video games. This is not a disgusting film. It is a film that honors bravery, celebrates courage and charity. It is a must see film to understand the best of the human character.
Lindagaf
Lindagaf Adult
September 28, 2014
age 13+

Violence is not the main message

If your kid is very sensitive to violence this may not be a good choice. The main message of the film is that people should stand up to those who are trying to do them harm. It was an engrossing story as well as being uplifting. The Jews were resourceful and brave. They were being hunted like animals and chose to live as humans. There is one particularly brutal scene, but no actual blood. It does involve a mob mentality though, and you will recognize it when it happens. We took the opportunity to discuss it with our 13 year old son. This movie is different from others such as Schindlers List, because it portrays the Jews as being proactive in their fate. Very good film.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

At the height of the Nazi occupation of Poland, three Jewish brothers find their family slaughtered and other Jews being rounded up in the countryside -- with mass killings or extermination camps their sure fate. The brothers escape into the dense Belarussian forest; on the way, eldest brother Tuvia Bielski (Daniel Craig) comes to the rescue of a small group of terrified Jews on the run. The refugees follow the brothers into the forest, against the better judgment of volatile middle brother Zus (Liev Schreiber), who's certain that their presence will make them all more vulnerable. With Tuvia's help, more and more displaced Jews find their way to the constantly moving Bielski encampment, and a fragile community is established. Some of the able-bodied join forces with the Russian resistance, while others remain with Tuvia, fighting the Nazis and disrupting their brutal purpose. Lives are lost; relationships are built; bravery and sacrifice are rewarded.

Is It Any Good?

Edward Zwick wants to make passionate movies, and DEFIANCE is no exception. The story of a Jewish arm of the Resistance hasn't been told before, not like this. The film is exciting, shot with skill and a singular ability to show the harrowing savagery and heroic behavior that lived and breathed in the early 1940s.

Defiance is less successful when it zeroes in on the stories of the individual people who make up the refugee community. Then the filmmakers rely on certain stereotypes: the intellectual chess players, the leering hothead, the sibling rivalry. Still, it's well worth seeing, if only as an important reminder of where the world has been and how much care must be taken never to return there.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why so many movies about World War II and the Holocaust are still being made so long after the events occurred. What connection do stories about these events have with today's world?

  • Are there still instances in which strong beliefs set people apart and against one another? How do you think the media will end up treating current conflicts further down the line?

  • Why do you think the Bielski brothers were heroic? What made them different from the people who were afraid to stand up for themselves?

Movie Details

Our Editors Recommend

  • Schindler's List Poster Image

    Schindler's List

    Accurate, heartbreaking masterpiece about the Holocaust.

    age 15+
  • The Pianist Poster Image

    The Pianist

    Powerful true story of a Jewish pianist has brutal violence.

    age 16+
  • Glory Poster Image

    Glory

    Excellent Civil War movie has graphic violence, profanity.

    age 16+

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