ActionDramaHistoryWar

Defiance

- Freedom begins with an act of defiance

Based on a true story, during World War II, four Jewish brothers escape their Nazi-occupied homeland of West Belarus in Poland and join the Soviet partisans to combat the Nazis. The brothers begin the rescue of roughly 1,200 Jews still trapped in the ghettos of Poland.

Release Date : 2008-12-31

Language :GermanRussianEnglish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount VantageGrosvenor Park ProductionsDefiance ProductionsPistachio PicturesBedford Falls Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Tuvia Bielski

Original Name : Daniel Craig

Gender : Male

Character Name : Zus Bielski

Original Name : Liev Schreiber

Gender : Male

Character Name : Asael Bielski

Original Name : Jamie Bell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lilka Ticktin

Original Name : Alexa Davalos

Gender : Female

Character Name : Shimon Haretz

Original Name : Allan Corduner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Isaac Malbin

Original Name : Mark Feuerstein

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ben Zion Gulkowitz

Original Name : Tomas Arana

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tamara Skidelsky

Original Name : Jodhi May

Gender : Female

Character Name : Riva Reich

Original Name : Kate Fahy

Gender : Female

Character Name : Yitzhak Shulman

Original Name : Iddo Goldberg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bella

Original Name : Iben Hjejle

Gender : Female

Character Name : Peretz Shorshaty

Original Name : Martin Hancock

Gender : Male

Character Name : Viktor Panchenko

Original Name : Равиль Исьянов

Gender : Male

Character Name : Konstanty "Koscik" Kozlowski

Original Name : Jacek Koman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aron Bielski

Original Name : George MacKay

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lazar

Original Name : Jonjo O'Neill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Arkady Lubczanski

Original Name : Sam Spruell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chaya Dziencielsky

Original Name : Mia Wasikowska

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jewish Elder

Original Name : Mark Margolis

Gender : Male

Character Name : German SS Scout

Original Name : Markus von Lingen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gramov

Original Name : Rolandas Boravskis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Motl Lubczanski

Original Name : Algirdas Dainavičius

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rachel

Original Name : Aurelija Prasmuntaite

Gender : Male

Character Name : Avram's Daughter

Original Name : Ina Frismanaite

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lila

Original Name : Ana Goldberg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jacov

Original Name : Leonardas Pobedonoscevas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dark Haired Beauty

Original Name : Kristina Bertasiute

Gender : Male

Character Name : Red Haired Woman

Original Name : Kristina Skokova

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pinchas Zuckerman

Original Name : Remigijus Bilinskas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oppenheim

Original Name : Rimgaudas Karvelis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Well-Dressed Woman

Original Name : Janina Matekonytė

Gender : Male

Character Name : Accountant

Original Name : Leonas Ciunis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chaya's Father

Original Name : Aleksandr Zila

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chaya's Mother

Original Name : Iveta Nadzeikiene

Gender : Male

Character Name : Isadore Skidelsky

Original Name : Clayton Frohman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Yechael Efrati

Original Name : Marc Levy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sarah Oppenheim

Original Name : Zoe Rosenblum

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lova Volkin (as Sakalas Uzdavinys)

Original Name : Sakalas Uždavinys

Gender : Male

Character Name : Israel Kotler

Original Name : Saulius Janavicius

Gender : Male

Character Name : Krensky

Original Name : Leonidas Kotikas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rosa

Original Name : Dalia Smalskiene

Gender : Male

Character Name : Levine

Original Name : Tadas Kavaliauskas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Little Boy

Original Name : Matas Cancingeris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Koscik's Wife

Original Name : Diana Aneviciute

Gender : Male

Character Name : Belarussian Police Captain

Original Name : Sigitas Račkys

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Captain's Son #1

Original Name : Vaidas Kublinkas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Captain's Son #2

Original Name : Valentin Novopolskij

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Captain's Wife

Original Name : Dalia Michelevičiūtė

Gender : Female

Character Name : Kissely The Milkman

Original Name : Ervinas Peteraitis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Policeman

Original Name : Dmitrij Denisiuk

Gender : Male

Character Name : Orthodox Rabbi

Original Name : Antanas Šurna

Gender : Male

Character Name : Belarussian Police Officer #1

Original Name : Dalius Mertinas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Belarussian Police Officer #2

Original Name : Vaidotas Martinaitis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jewish Mother Separated From Child #1

Original Name : Aldona Bendoriute

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jewish Father Being Beaten #1

Original Name : Darius Gumauskas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jewish Father Being Beaten #2

Original Name : Irmantas Bačelis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jewish Mother Separated From Child #2

Original Name : Edita Užaitė

Gender : Female

Character Name : Villager Getting Shot

Original Name : Jordan Bielsky

Gender : Male

Character Name : Screaming Man

Original Name : Gediminas Girdvainis

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Captain

Original Name : Stanislav Adamickij

Gender : Male

Character Name : SS Captain

Original Name : Klemens Becker

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Courier

Original Name : Jonas Tamulevicius

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Officer In Car

Original Name : Jaroslav Pšenička

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman In Car

Original Name : Jolanta Dapkūnaitė

Gender : Female

Character Name : German Officer

Original Name : Miroslav Lhotka

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Private

Original Name : Giacomo Strasser

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Sergeant

Original Name : Mac Steinmeier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Musician

Original Name : Dmitrti Slepovitch

Gender : Male

Character Name : Musician

Original Name : Arkadij Gotesman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Musician

Original Name : Borisas Kirzeneris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Musician

Original Name : Raimondas Sviackevicius

Gender : Male

Character Name : Avram Rubinski

Original Name : Vidas Petkevičius

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miriam

Original Name : Rimantė Valiukaitė

Gender : Female

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2023-07-26

**_Survival in the woods during WW2_** As Nazi forces sweep through Eastern Europe in 1941 the Bielski brothers (Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell) seek refuge in the deep forests on the border of Poland and Belorussia (Belarus). More and more desperate Jews join their ranks for common protection and to oppose the occupying Germans. How can they all survive in the woods during the next four years of war? Released in 2008-2009, "Defiance" is a drama/war film that has a lot going for it: a story based on actual events, good actors, authentic locations (filmed in Lithuania, a mere 100 miles or so from the actual sites), effective cinematography and a quality score. I personally love survival-type films and "Defiance" fills the bill, although it's not great like, say, "The Last of the Mohicans" (1992). The filmmakers throw in all kinds of dynamic things to maintain the viewer's attention: Numerous gun battles, an airstrike and a tank, which are all faithful Hollywood-isms. It would've been better to simply focus on the characters and their gritty survival story. How about a deeper examination of individuals reduced to basic necessities? What about a study of people stripped of all civilized influences, struggling with the animalistic side of their psyche, as depicted in the excellent "Sands of the Kalahari" (1965)? How about the immaterial yet palpable bond of love which unites and gives life even in the worst possible conditions? There's some of this, of course, but I wanted it to go deeper, like in "The Flight of the Phoenix" (1965). One thought-provoking scene concerns a man seeking to join the ever-growing group in the woods wherein he is asked what he does in order to determine how best to utilize his skills. He ponders it a moment and replies that he's "an intellectual." There's of course little use for an intellectual in such a forest community. The region was largely agrarian and so the peasant-types were skilled in at least one practical area as farmers, craftsmen or laborers. But what use was an "intellectual"? How many of us are intellectuals and would largely be useless in such a scenario? We'd learn new skills real quick, huh? So the picture works on a what-if level: How long will our present society endure as it is before many of us are forced to live primitively in the sticks? If that happens, I hope you're more than just "an intellectual." "Defiance" is worthwhile if the survival-in-the-woods plot piques your interest. It's superior to the similar "Tears of the Sun" (2003), but IMHO not quite as good as "Hornet's Nest" (1970) and "Sands of the Kalahari," although it's not far off. The movie runs 2 hours, 17 minutes. GRADE: B/B-

swiewior

@swiewior

2024-03-22

Historically incorrect, Jewish propaganda. Jewish guerilla were not war heros and did not fight Nazi. Instead, they collaborated with Russian underground, stole properties from the villagers and farms for their needs and reselling for Russians. During these robberies they committed unspeakable crimes, leaving them with no chances to survive. They were no heroes to tell stories about, they were war criminals.

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-08-02

Two Jewish brothers - "Tuvia" (Daniel Craig) and "Zus" (Liev Schreiber) are leading a ramshackle group of escapees from the Nazis into the depths of the Belorussian forest. With little food and weapons, their imperative is to try and build some sort of shelter to see them through the harsh winter whilst trying to find allies to help them survive. This is no mean feat, with hundreds of mouths to feed, and it sorely tests the faith of many and the resilience of their commander who is increasingly at odds with his more pro-active brother. It's "Zus" who finally decides to leave and join the approaching Red Army battalion and that leaves "Tuvia" and another brother "Asael" (Jamie Bell) with quite a challenge as sickness and starvation loom. This isn't a particularly well written drama, nor is Craig really that great either. What works here is the sense of desperation that Edward Zwick manage to present us with. The dense forest, the snow, the wind, the darkness and the wolves. The drudgery of these ordinary people reduced to living little better than animals facing a relentless foe that is bent on an irrational plan of slaughter. Tomas Arana does quite well, if sparingly, as the Soviet commander who is suspicious of his Jewish (traditionally non-combatant) cohort and who is also, clearly, a man who probably ought not to be trusted too far. Just to lighten the mood, the under-used Bell gets a little bit of love interest for when the meagre fires die down of a cold evening. In an environment where it really is live or die, the story touches on issues of collaboration and shows us another hugely effective method employed by their enemy to subdue - and keep subdued - a population ill-equipped to survive hand-to-mouth. It is too long - half an hour could come out without savaging the plot, but it's still worth a watch. Just keep a blanket nearby.