MovieChat Forums > Anthropoid (2016) Discussion > A good film...but not an intellectually ...

A good film...but not an intellectually honest one

posted 8 years ago by Caractacus23
4 replies | jump to latest

This is, in many ways, a very well made film. It was somewhat weakened by the fact that, as it turns out, apparently the story of the assassination of Ubergruppenfuhrer Reinhard Heydrich (in 1942), just wasn't hugely interesting. It sounds like a great topic for a movie, but there just weren't enough actual events. They came, they saw, they slew Heydrich, they were betrayed, and they died as brave martyrs. The End.

Additionally, and while I hate to turn everything into a political analysis (although the Second World War is pretty much the defining political event of the recorded history of the human species, so I think I'm on solid ground here), the epilogue of the film recounts the horrific aftermath of the 1942 assassination, and how this ostensibly aided in the Allied victory. But in order for this film not to be merely an exercise in feel-good, Allied propaganda, don't we need to look at the aftermath of that Allied victory? Would these hard and desperate men, brave, honorable Christian patriots to the hilt, have been so willing to lay down their lives for a free & independent Czechoslovakia, had they known that in 1948 (just three years after the Allied victory), their nation would effectively be handed over to Stalin's Soviet Union? Sure, Czechoslovakia is peacefully liberated 41 years later...and now Prague is the pornography & prostitution capitol of Europe. Oh, but don't worry, those erstwhile "industries" will soon be shut down by the rampaging hordes of Islamist invaders. Maybe these good men would wonder if perhaps they'd fought on the wrong dang side? Or maybe not. But to not ask the question, is BULLCRAP. Its propaganda, and its grotesque.

[–] Danusha_Goska 8 years ago

I think you should write an alternative history developing this theme.

Gabcik and Kubis survived, and have been in hiding for the past several decades. they now speak out about Yalta and 89 and porn.

http://www.amazon.com/Save-Send-Delete-Danusha-Goska/dp/1846949866

[–] Mehki_Girl 8 years ago

What????

[–] ib011f9545i 8 years ago

would it have better not to fight nazi Germany?
The Soviet occupation was awful but the nazis were worse I think.

[–] SnappinTurtle 8 years ago

Ok, this is all over the place.

epilogue of the film recounts the horrific aftermath of the 1942 assassination, and how this ostensibly aided in the Allied victory. But in order for this film not to be merely an exercise in feel-good, Allied propaganda, don't we need to look at the aftermath of that Allied victory?

I think if this were a documentary you would have a valid point. As it is people are not going to sit through a 6 hour movie. Very few war films examine aftermath in depth.

Would these hard and desperate men, brave, honorable Christian patriots to the hilt, have been so willing to lay down their lives for a free & independent Czechoslovakia, had they known that in 1948 (just three years after the Allied victory), their nation would effectively be handed over to Stalin's Soviet Union? Sure, Czechoslovakia is peacefully liberated 41 years later

I agree the Soviets (under Stalin) were just as bad as the Nazis, albeit in a different way. However, you can read anything on the border states (Cz, Ukraine, Poland, etc) and know that there were no right answers for those people in this era. They were literally trapped between two of the most evil entities in modern history. The resistance portrayed in this movie fought the Nazis. When the time came, others fought the Soviets. Again, no one is going to sit through a six hour movie. It is human nature to first treat the wound that is hemorrhaging before looking at the wound that may become infected later.

Also, there is no Czechoslovakia, it is two different countries now. I'm not sure what modern map you are look at.

Maybe these good men would wonder if perhaps they'd fought on the wrong dang side? Or maybe not.

If we could bring Jefferson back from the dead, he may ask himself the same question if he took a look at the U.S today.

Its propaganda, and its grotesque.

Hardly, this was fairly well balanced in that they did present the the collateral damage that occurred after the assassination. Propaganda would have left anything negative out. See the film October for a sample of propaganda.