John Rabe

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08/01/2019 A well structured and historically shocking film. See more 03/12/2019 John Rabe, The Good Nazi of Nanking. See more 10/19/2014 It may look like "Schindler's list" set in China, but the context of the story is very different. John Rabe (very well played by Ulrich Tukur) tries to help and save the vulnerable Chinese workers at the Siemens premises that he is running, in the city of Nanking, during the Japanese invasion of China in 1937. In general, the movie is a very well directed and produced (the art direction is very good) period War drama. Steve Buscemi, as the desperate American doctor trying to do his job under so stressful circumstances is great, and Daniel Bruehl, as a young diplomat, offers a very decent performance. The portrayal of this cruel episode in Chinese History, known as the "Nanking Massacre", is harrowing and grim, but my only problem is having wanted to see something more than cruel and ruthless Japanese soldiers. There's one young Japanese officer wanting to show some humanity inside him, but unfortunately the screenplay is so dense of characters and subplots, that there's not a chance to develop himself as a character. See more 10/15/2014 A lot of war movies glamorize the events for the public to like and obsess about, this one had so much actual war footage that reminded you how chaotic, graphic and extreme it actually looks. Great movie about the doings of a true hero. See more 02/25/2013 Sterk waargebeurd verhaal dat een beetje doet denken aan Schindlers List. Aanrader!. See more 01/24/2013 I like the World War II films that cover the stuff everyone knows, but I'm stating to get even more appreciative of the ones that bring the lesser known parts to a wider audience. What we get here is the story of John Rabe who was essentially the Oskar Schindler of China. This film is a look at German Industrialist John Rabe who lived and worked in China, and was one of the key players who established a safety zone for the locals during the occupation of China by the ruthless Japanese Imperial Army. The event is often (unflatteringly) referred to as "The Rape of Nanking". What this docudrama depicts is how Rabe goes from Nazi Party member to savior due to his efforts to provide sanctuary for the oppressed locals. Joining him in his efforts were other Westerners, with the highlight being American Dr. Robert Wilson- a very dedicated and compassionate doctor not afraid to speak his mind and call out Rabe for his flaws and motivations. In this film Wilson is played by Steve Buscemi, and, while I think Ulrich Tukur was fine as Rabe, I think Buscemi gives a better performance, and that the film should have been more about him. That's not just because Buscemi is my favorite actor. His character is just more interesting, developed, and compelling. But Rabe is still a fascinating person, even if the film doesn't do with him what it should, especially since he is the lead here. The period details are great, the film has a nice balance with showing the atrocities without going overboard or sugar coating it, and, more importantly, it brings to life an important part of history that more people need to know about. Yeah the script could be better written, the pacing and structure a little tighter, and the importance of the story made more apparent, but overall, the film does just enough right to merit a slightly more than meager recommendation. See more Read all reviews

John Rabe

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