Ed Zwick’s Defiance is an action/drama with smidgen of schmaltz (a word from Yiddish meaning “chick flick romantic bullshit” – not literally). At the same time, it’s definitely not an all out action flick. At no time does Dan Craig mug for the camera, “Bielski. Tuvia Bielski” before flying down a zip line one-handed blasting Nazi‘s with a Tommy gun in the other and humming Havah Nagilah. If he did I’d be rooting for the Germans – and I HATE rooting for the Germans.

Glory. Legends of the Fall. Courage under Fire. The Siege. Zwick knows his stuff and adds another to this impressive portfolio. Despite strong allusions to the story of Moses, this is a very gritty film without traditional heroes but capturing the reality of men and women just doing their best in a fucked up situation. They steal. They hook up for warmth and to fend off despair – quickly too. Irving didn’t your wife and kid just die a few scenes back? They eat dogs and horses, kosher – maybe not, but ain‘t no manna from the sky for this tribe. Interspersed through are glimpses of normal life, especially romance, which doesn’t quite undermine the intensity but does NOT help it. They kill, although this last part is by far the easiest when your enemy is committing atrocities and means to wipe you off the Earth, and has the ability. A major theme is the formation of community amidst the state of nature. The one family, the foundation of this a micro-society, is broken by it’s grief.

Tuvia and Zus are the eldest brothers of the Bielski family. Being smugglers and bootleggers they know to evade their hunters and in doing so pick up refuges looking for safety under their protection. Tuvia is the most conscientious and is played exceedingly well by Daniel Craig. He wishes to take in everyone, accepting the hardships of leadership. Liev Schreiber plays Zus, the brother that simply wants to fight back in eye for an eye fashion. Of course there’s a schism, even a Romulus/Remus fight, leaving Tuvai to effectively serve as savior to his people. Most of the film focuses on this wilderness community as it goes through its first winter. There is dissention in the ranks counter balanced by a traditional wedding, tragedy and joy. In the end, Zus and Tuvia reconcile and we’re told they survived with 1200 people.

Defiance is a good movie, but not a great one. Poignancy was lacking since the biggest threat to this Jewish colony were it’s own members mostly. It wasn’t until the end that the Germans even showed up to try to kill them and the film reverts into an action flick with some pointless heroics, with the cavalry coming in the nick of time. Kind of doesn’t do the struggle justice, but definitely watch-able.

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