They did the one thing the Nazis never expected. They fought back. A true story.
The Nazis invasion of Poland in the fall of 1939 sent hundreds of thousands Polish Jews into a quarantined area which became known as the Warsaw Ghetto. The German troops were surprised to march into Warsaw to find such resistance by the proud Jewish population. This television mini-series dramatises the fighting spirit of the people who were proud to fight and willing to die for their honour.
Special Agent Matti
I'll get this gripe out of the way first: there is no way in Hell that Mordechai Anielewicz would have biceps the size of tree trunks after spending four years in the Warsaw ghetto. Hank Azaria buffed up for the role and it just doesn't fit the part. He should be as skinny as a pole (even a Pole) due to poor nutrition and general starvation. Every other actor looks suitably emaciated except Hank and it stands out like a sore thumb. Having spent so much time, energy and money getting the film to look historically accurate, one actor's ego still manages to stand in the way of realism.
Meanwhile, Uprising is a suspenseful and action-packed retelling of an important story about the evil depths to which the Nazis sank, dragging the entire continent of Europe down with them. As a moral tale, it packs a mean wallop and would make a good teaching aid in any Australian high school. It also manages to show the European Jews as more than a bunch of sheep who went uncomplainingly to their demise, something which most films about the holocaust tend to gloss over.
Everyone acts well, but it is the unknown actors who really shine: there is a tendency to look at famous actors as famous actors rather than (in this case) fictionalised characters which occasionally made it difficult for me to suspend my disbelief. After all, I don't know the people about whom the story is written (although I had already heard of Mordechai Anielewicz through Harry Turtledove's fascinating alternate history of World War II in which aliens arrive to conquer Earth in 1942) so why should I recognise the faces of the people playing them?
Still, Uprising managed to hold my attention - after a slow start - and also to provide some cool shooting and blowing things up. Mmm... shooting and blowing things up...
M (Medium level violence, adult themes)
153 minutes (2:33 hours)
DVD rental: 26 February 2003
VHS rental: 26 February 2003
DVD retail: 26 February 2003
