Come and See 1985

Glasha and Flyora’s acting feels overacted at times. Some of their expressions are actually funny to me. But Flyora gained my respect in the second half of the film, especially when he was shooting Hitler’s framed photo. I could feel his burning hot anger. The first half has a weird presentation. I think it is deeply symbolic, but it had little impact on me. Honestly, watching it felt like a chore. But I am glad the second half finally felt like a really good war film, especially during the burning of the village. It really shows the horrors of war and how the Germans treat killing almost like a sport. The fire and smoke cinematography reminded me of There Will Be Blood (2007). I can respect the visual presentation. I believe the film relies a lot on natural or naturalistic lighting, especially in the outdoor scenes, which, paired with the long continuous shots, reminded me of The Revenant (2015). I specifically like the foggy scenes. They reminded me of Band of Brothers (2001). The sheer number of extras also reminded me of Schindler’s List (1993). It adds so much scale to the horror because I am not just watching one person suffer. You are seeing entire communities swallowed by war.