Burning at Both Ends

It is nice to watch a WWII movie from a new angle! It takes place in France instead of Germany, and shows how no one was allowed to stand up to the Nazis. It is always nice to Carey Elwes, and a nice surprise to see Mira Furlan. Story was not predictable at all which is also refreshing. Usually with WWII movies, you can see where it is going, but considering the whole movie takes a different angle than your typical WWII movie, it was not easy to assume what will happen next. I absolutely loved the end, took me by surprise. I also really loved the message of not standing up to those who are wrong is essentially picking a side.

Most modern WWII films are abominations in one way or another; either overly dramatising violence to fuel blood lust in an audience who should not be their target (surely, leave this for Game of Thrones and the like - rather educate an audience who wants to learn about WWII rather than exploiting a dark period in history...), or misrepresenting key historical points. After watching the trailer, this I thought this film might avoid those common pitfalls. However, I did trip up in the trailer over one you actress, who ended up being the reason I could not watch the whole film. Juliette, or rather the actress Greer Grammer, ruins this film. Her acting is so anachronistic, and she is so out of place with otherwise good actors, apparently an otherwise good plot, that I could not bear to watch the whole thing. I was surprised to see that she is the daughter of Kelsey Grammer, an actor I do respect and whose work I have enjoyed. Little of his ability appears to have rubbed-off on her. Maybe he helped open some doors, as I cannot believe she was given the opportunity on ability alone. Why on earth does her character have an American accent? Daughter of a French man, this is not at all clear in the plot, unless I have missed something by not watching to the end... Apart from this, her acting is plainly awful. She portrays no sense of the time, place, or how people behaved in this period. If producers need actors from this generation, surely they could find someone with skill or who could research, or at least listen to good direction? Nice to see Mira Furlan again. What a shame such a skilled actress had such a small part while a main character was given a large and ruining rôle.

The movie is an edge-of-your-seat thriller with good to great acting, especially by the lead actors. The plot is not foregone or predictable as the story line and setting progresses and expands. The movie shows the struggles, costs, and rewards of staying true to one's convictions in the face of hostility and persecution. The hostility and irrational intolerance of the Nazi's ubermensch worldview towards Jews, Christians, and developmentally disabled is vividly portrayed during the dinner party scene. Camera angles and timing are occasionally off-balance, but the vitality and passion of the filmmakers is evident throughout.

Such a good cast and everyone played their part well. This was a great story that kept you guessing till the end. At first, I wasn't sure I wanted to jump into another World War II movie, but Resistance: 1942 was a refreshing take on the struggles of not just a hunt for Jews but also for a Christian missionary providing hope. Taking place in France instead of Germany provided a story outside of the typical norm of concentration camps and D-Day battle fronts that brought a more intriguing story with characters who must learn to trust each other and decide what the right thing to do is. This is a must-see movie for everyone.

Like the title says, not a perfect movie but a very enjoyable one. Just beautiful to watch, to be honest. Such great lighting and design overall. Acting is on par with most movies, mostly good with a some great and some not-so-great. Music is a real win, particularly the violin solo and the orchestrations that accompany it. I wonder if its a pre-recorded melody or made for this film? Need to re-watch the credits to see. Seems like this movie is really polarizing, you love it or you hate it. Guess I'm on the love side of the spectrum. There's lots of Hollywood trash out there to waste an hour and a half on, but this is one of the good ones.

This isn't going to win any Oscars, but I very much enjoyed it. Harkens back to old Hollywood in the story, but with more complex characters. Recommended. A little more detail: Jacques leads well with inspiring monologues, though Cary Elwe's very Cary-ness can sometimes override his otherwise excellent acting. Andre is delightfully opaque, great work by Jason Patric. Wish there was more Judd Hirsch to see, he is a real emotional anchor for the film. Greer Grammar as Juliet is probably the hardest, but in all honesty, she did quite well considering who she was paired with on the screen. All around, good stuff.

OK, I think we really had it with the WW II stories, get something new out of our screwed history books. It's really getting old... There are far better and more actual "real-life" stories out there, script writer could get hold of.... even if the script-guys for this movie were not really talented (bad and redundant scripting). The movie itself is very low budget, with the lowest number of the budget spent to reach historical accuracy and facts, below average acting, and - as stated before - poor scripting. A waste of time by all measures (add too long to the list). I sometimes wonder, why Hollywood and the media let us chew this bland, dull and uninspired gum again, and again, and again. Are there hidden quotas for 'Evil Nazi'-themed scripts and movies? Has it become senseless and half-hearted "repertoire" of film producers? I am pointing this out, because there are far more interesting and actual topics available to choose from, as I truly believe the audience ist just getting bored by a flix like this and thereby the desired propaganda effect of the whole theme waters down.

On Amazon the title is changed to "Resistance 1942" - no wonder IMDB didnt have it listed! A truly boring film where almost nothing happens - until the last half hour or so. The score on here is hardly worth 3.5. Dont bother - I wish I hadnt.

June 1940 , the last British forces evacuate from Dunkirk , leaving France in the hands of Germans. France signs an armistice creating the Vichy Regime, a puppet government controlled by the Nazis. December 1941 , most people lack food , warmth , and medicine. 1942. France is under Nazi control. The Allies have been pushed off the continent and their defeat in North Africa seems likely. Germany's victory is nearly absolute. The government exerts control by restricting travel, information , and freedom of assembly. Radio emerges as one of the most powerful weapons of the war . Leaders sway hearts and minds with potent speeches and propaganda. August 1942, Vichy Police and specially trained units of Gestapo pursue any rogue radio broadcasters with brutal determination . Under threat of death and the dark shadow of tyranny , one voice dares to keep a message of hope alive. Under this shadow, a man named Jacques (Cary Elwes) provides hope and illusion to the unfortunate French people besieged , mistreated and harassed by the ruthless Nazis . So Cary Elwes gives life to Jacques, the voice of a clandestine station that gives hope to the French in the dark hours of Nazi domination . He hides in an attic with his daughter Juliet (Greer Grammer) and a small group of fellow survivors (Judd Hirsch, Mira Furlan), playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with the German occupiers. The world becomes too dangerous when the Gestapo send Captain Klaus Jager (Sebastian Roche) to catch Jacques. As Klaus closes in, Jacques and his small group make a desperate bid to escape their pursuer , trusting themselves to the help of enigmatic Andre (Jason Patric), a Swiss banker. In the end, that trust may turn out to be the very thing that leads the hunter to his prey . Together, they try to avoid detection while hoping to be liberated by the Allies, but even meeting basic needs can become a challenge, and even minor incidents could present a grave risk. To protect the broadcast, a group of resisters will put their lives at stake, having to trust someone outside of them to survive. But the hunt has only just begun. This is a worthwhile film paying cinematic tribute to "The Diary of Anne Frank" and other films about the brave resistance againt the cruel Nazis . Dealing with a small group of dissident survivors who caught behind enemy lines ,struggle to remain hidden from the Nazis as they use a radio to broadcast a message of hope. This is a nice thriller set in occupied France in 1943 with a terrible game of cat and mouse between the Nazis with a group of resistance fighters who give hope to the population. It offers a solid cast, some cheap but very effective settings , and a generally well-considered selection of actors . Stars Cary Elwes as the brave man who uses a radio to broadcast a message of hope , however a new German command well played by Sebastian Roché has arrived with the purpose of silencing it , along with Jason Patric acting as an enigmatic Swiss financer . While Judd Hirsch and Mira Furlan (whom is dedicated the film due a her sudden death) play an unfortunate Jewish marriage , and the newcomer teen Greer Grammer -Kalsey Grammer's daughter- performs pretty well as a valiant young freedom fighter. The motion picture was efficiently and professionally directed by Matthew Hill and Landon Johnson. Rating : 6.5/10. Worthwhile watching . The flick will appeal to WWII buffs.

This movie is very good in my opinion. About 150 minutes long but it felt very short as I enjoyed watching it. Everyone play their role amazingly. It's breathtaking, emotional, a truly great piece of filmmaking and a very good portrayal of faith, hope, love and sacrifice during The Third Reich in French. Definitely good movie to watch along or alone.