Simply A Masterpiece

How sad is this?

A Major Disappointment

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

after seeing documentaries on The Katyn Forest Massacre; and, reading the book "Katyn: The Untold Story Of Stalin's Polish Massacre" by Allen Paul; - I thought that this movie would have used more, if any, 'real' names of the Polish officers (and, soldiers - sergeants and up, whom are both active and retired), to honor those who were murdered by the Russians.Also, not all of those who were murdered by the NKVD in this incident were Polish. Many were Belarusians, Ukrainians, and, Jews.HERO - Polish Major Adam Solski, who is mentioned in every documentary I've seen; and, mentioned in the book I read; wasn't even portrayed nor even 'spoken of' in this movie!?!? A DISGRACE!!! If not for Major Solski and the diary that he kept that was on his body, IN AN UNMARKED AND MURDEROUS PIT; and, later found by the Germans after they pushed the Russian forces out...many of the events taking place up to his own murder would have gone unknown.Another monumental occurrence that this movie makes no mention of is all of the influential Polish civilians who were also murdered and buried in Katyn Forest; and, elsewhere (like those 1,800 or so who were drown in the Black Sea, and, whom the Russians claimed "escaped to Mongolia!?!?").Plus, all of those Polish politicians; lawyers; doctors; engineers; police officers; land and factory owners; etc., who were murdered because they could 'think and organize' the Polish people.Joseph Stalin! A completely-maniacal-and-paranoid-violent-buffoon, who controlled even lower, but, just as violent retards (the NKVD); completed, but, failed to covered-up his "Simplistic mind of 'total domination' over a 'total population' of 'total retardation' in himself and in his government!" The Russians, after the job was finished, then killed all of their own executioners!?!? Nice bunch of people - no honor or loyalties whatsoever. Just as Stalin did between 1936-1938 with what became known as 'The Great Purge.' He killed-off 'many' people in his own Communist Party; government; military; and, population, which only served to weaken his own nation.Early on, Stalin realized (thought) that the basic instinct of 'normal' people was to 'kill all the leaders and all those who oppose!' YES! It is...for CAVEMEN! This is what Stalin, with the help of Lavrentiy Beria (head of the NKVD), was doing...and, 'anyone with an opposing mind or view has to go!' One of whom was a Polish Olympic ice skater; and, another was a young female Polish Air Force pilot!?!? I'm sure that these two were a 'real threat' to the pathetic Stalinist ideals of communism!?!?No...murdering these loyal and honorable Polish officers and soldiers; and, civilians; and, all the rest, FOR Russia...wasn't a blessing upon mankind!?!? It wasn't even a blessing upon Russia nor the Soviet Union! Neither were the thousands of Poles and Polish loyalists who the Russians 'drown' in the Black Sea during this same time and claimed escaped to Mongolia.This movie mentions none of this!?!?To "HONOR" these people who died for no other reason than being 'loyal' to their nation, you must mention their 'real names.' This movie does none of that!?!? This movie is a simple generalization of events...but, not of the 'real people' who were 'murdered' to give realization to these events.This movie is a 'VERY SIMPLE AND VAGUE' generalization of only a 'very small' part of what really happened in this murderous tragedy! This could have and should have been a longer epic tragedy about; and, an homage to all those who were senselessly murdered at the hands of psychopathic barbarians. Or, even better, it should have been a mini-series, much like "Holocaust" (1978); and, included all of the names, facts, and, details that I mentioned here that came from documentaries and books.Watch some documentaries; and, read the book I mentioned; and, you'll get a personal and up-close view of what a real horror this "Katyn Massacre" really was when you know the names, the actual names, of 'real people' who were wastefully squandered in this mass-murdering lunatic fiasco. And, all because some 'Freak Leader,' Stalin, was "SO AFRAID" of the Poles...and, of everyone else in the world...including his family, friends, and, even his own people!?!? Just like Caligula!P.S. - I've read all of the 'hated it' comments on this movie. With the overwhelming evidence from many sources, including dated documents found on the victims themselves...anyone who actually believes that the Nazis murdered these people either needs to do some research; they're bias; they're pro-Soviet; and/or, they need therapy! Years and years of therapy! This occurred in April of 1940, and, the Germans weren't even this far east at this time.Even though the Nazis were also mass-murderers as well...they weren't so stupid as to bury their victims in their uniforms/clothing with every pocket filled with dated and incriminating documents; wearing dog tags; identification numbers written on their uniforms by the Soviets (Major Solski was #490); etc.Along with the bodies of the victims, the oafish murderers even buried the German PPK pistols they used to kill these victims in the hopes that if the graves were ever discovered, the world would assume that the Germans perpetrated this crime. However, those pistol serial numbers were on Russian purchase orders in Germany at the Walther Company and dated before World War II ever began!?!?

This film from the famed Polish director Andrzej Wajda was nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language movie. I can see why--it was very well made. However, I must warn you, that although the film is exceptionally well done and important, it is also among the most brutal I've seen in a long time--with lots of closeup shots of Polish soldiers getting executed in the most graphic way possible."Katyn" begins during the invasion of Poland in September, 1939. Although folks outside Poland today now about the Germans invading, a lot of films and history books fail to discuss that the Soviets did the same--crashing in this relatively defenseless nation in a power grab. In the process, they rounded up all the Polish officers--sending them off to prisoner of war camps and, ultimately, to their deaths inside the USSR at a place called Katyn Forest (hence the name of the film).Much of the film is set after the massacre and has to do with the Soviet attempt to whitewash the incident by blaming the Germans. However, a few people in this film refuse to accept the party line--much to their regret because the Soviets intended to sell this lie no matter who they had to hurt to get this false message across.Because it is so important to set the record straight historically speaking, I am very glad that "Katyn" was made. Poles and non-Poles need to face facts and accept reality. But, as I said above, this exceptionally well made film ALSO tells the story in all its brutality--with lots and lots of closeups of Polish officers having their brains blown out by Soviet criminals (I am not sure if they technically were soldiers or NKVD or KGB, but this clearly is a crime against humanity--so I'll stick with the word 'criminal'). Worth seeing but a film to keep from your children and the easily disturbed.

To some this may be a war movie. To others it may be an expose of the malign caprices of brutal authoritarian regimes. To many of us, I suspect, it is the above and much, much more.Some people seem to have found this film to be slow or even boring. Perhaps, they expected battle scenes and non-stop violence. I myself love to watch a good, gung-ho war movie, but I also enjoy a film which can portray the real impact of war on ordinary people as well as those who actually go into combat.This work shows the very real emotional and physical trauma experienced by those caught up in such a horrific situation. The stress of not knowing what has happened to a loved one. The bitter release of learning of their death. And the heartless manoeuvres of Nazis and Stalinists cynically plotting to gain advantage for their regimes no matter the cost in hypocrisy to their own warped ideology, never mind the sheer sociopathic insanity of their actions. The mechanical nature of the murders themselves is wonderfully and horribly portrayed, and is set into stark relief by juxtaposition with the real humanity displayed by the victims and their relatives elsewhere in the piece.

"Katyn" is a fictional treatment of an incident that is seared into the memory of every Pole. During the period of cooperation between Nazi Germany and Soviet Union, Soviet troops took 12,000 Polish officers into the forest and killed them one by one, shooting them in the back of the skull. The Soviets claimed the murders had been committed by the Nazis and after the USSR seized Poland, it became very dangerous for anyone to blame the Soviets although the truth was widely known.This film personalizes this horrendous tale by turning it into fiction. The Polish officers and members of their families become real people, and the film tells vividly what happened to each of its characters: those who were slaughtered, those who hoped against hope that their husbands, brothers and sons had escaped the fate of their comrades, and those who knew and insisted on telling the truth (which was ultimately acknowledged not long ago by the Russians).The movie incorporates some material from newsreels filmed when the bodies were found. But the rest is a meticulous and unsparing recreation by director Andzrej Wadja and his team. The cast, although generally unknown to American audiences, is excellent and the sense of terror is palpable, particularly after the Soviet Union has taken control of Poland and is determined to crush anyone who says that they and not the Nazis, perpetrated the atrocities at Katyn.This film is no more fun to watch than a movie about the Holocaust but it preserves an important historical event more effectively than any documentary could possibly do. In case you're wondering, I'm not Polish. But I believe this is an event that must not be brushed out of history.