Hatred

A very powerful movie. The acting and cinematography were excellent. Michalina Labacz especially shines in her lead role. Although the movie is two and a half hours long the pacing keeps your attention throughout.

As many have noted, this film has a great deal of graphic violence. Not only quick killings, but also gruesome torture. It is a testament to the director that for the most part he does not linger on such scenes. For me, it was not always the case, and there were several times that I had to look away.

The characters are numerous and of many nationalities and religions, but the movie rarely casts anyone as black and white caricatures. No side comes out as pure and innocent, or completely evil. Along with the massacres by Ukrainians, we also see the arrogance of Polish upper class village residents, and even protection by some German soldiers.

The swirl of death on all sides and by all sides leaves one numb by the end, but it important story. In addition to telling the story of an often overlooked part of East European history, it also is a more general warning of how easily the dark side of humanity can come forward in times of adversity.