The Forgotten Battle

Director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. has crafted an almost masterpiece of war cinema. Unflinching, brutal, terrifying, sad, and gut-wrenching, The Forgotton Battle is at times absolutely stunning. The cinematography from the prolific Lennert Hillege is dazzling and infused with grit, melancholy, and brutality. Explosions in the distance light up the night sky as soldiers quietly sneak their way past enemy combatants. Action and battle sequences are expertly sewn together and scripted, leading to intense scenes that rival any other canonical World War II movie. Additionally, the casting seems perfect, from the quietly impressive performance of Susan Radder (Teuntje Visser) to the smaller role of British pilot Tony Turner, perfectly played by Tom Felton of Harry Potter fame.

The scope of The Forgotten Battle is also ambitious. By choosing to tell the stories of 3 different main characters, the film can sometimes get bogged down with slow pacing as it has to jump between these 3 different (but intertwined) storylines. There's a lot character building and story scaffolding that might bore some viewers. And further, one of the main characters is a young Nazi soldier, who eventually becomes disillusioned with war and his Nazi party. Some viewers might find this yet another redemption story for someone who shouldn't necessarily be getting attention at all (see: Crash or Monster's Ball). But at least the focus is divided between the two other characters and their immediate social groups, and the conclusion to the young Nazi soldier's story is effective, sad, and powerful.