In a few weeks, László Nemes’ critically acclaimed holocaust film, Son of Saul, will hit theaters. The winner of the Grand Prix award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival has garnered a lot of attention and serious Oscar buzz, making it a film that I had to see.
Set in Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944, Son of Saul focuses on a Hungarian man, Saul Auslander (Geza Rohrig), a member of the Sonderkommando, a group of isolated Jewish prisoners and keeper of secrets who aid the Nazi’s in the extermination of the Jews. They work in the crematoriums, stripping people of their clothes who are then killed in a gas room and burned afterwards. While working, Saul discovers the body of a boy who he believes is his son.
At the same time, the Sonderkommano is planning a rebellion in an attempt to escape and Saul is supposed to help. It’s at this moment Saul decides that he must try to save the boy’s body from being burned, find a rabbi to recite the proper prayers, and bury the boy. A task that’s essentially impossible.
Son of Saul is an impressive film, one that is unique in its visual approach and gives a jolt to a genre that people have likely grown tired of. One of the most interesting and unique artistic choices that I liked was how the film was shot. The film has a lot of long takes, most of which are close to the characters to emphasize the lack of space in the crematorium. It’s also predominantly, if not all, shot with a handheld camera, pulling you into the film and giving you an opportunity to feel everything from Saul’s point of view. In fact, it feels a bit like you’re watching a found footage horror film but from a third-person perspective, it also has a Lone Survivor feel to it because of the intensity of the situation. As a result, the movie is also incredibly depressing and haunting, keeping you in a situation that involves seeing dead bodies regularly tossed into a fire like pieces of wood, it’ll make you uncomfortable for extended periods of time.
The movie is also incredibly frustrating and will likely divide audiences as to where you stand with regards to Saul’s decision to try and bury this boy. Essentially, Saul is willing to do anything to bury his son, and I mean anything. He’s willing to sacrifice the lives of those living in the camp with him, those trying to escape, and all to bury someone that’s already lost their life to the horrors of the Nazi’s. He has a complete disregard for his own life and theirs which, in my opinion, is selfish. Doing the right thing and having a proper burial is understandable but in a scenario like Auschwitz on the eve of a potential escape, it’s just cruel.
Son of Saul is a very good movie. While I haven’t seen nearly as many foreign films this year as I’m used to seeing, I think it’s a safe bet that Nemes’ film will be nominated for an Academy Award. I wasn’t as enthralled with it as others but there’s no denying it left an impact on me, the mark of any good movie. I left the theater constantly debating the actions of the lead and really appreciated the way Nemes brought to life a troubling story about the Holocaust. Between the smart stylistic choices to the solid acting, Son of Saul is a must-see for those fascinated with mankind’s darkest moment.
Recent Comments