Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

I don't want to compare Salvo D'Acquisto as a modern-day savior, but that's the only way I can describe this movie. Legendary pop singer Massimo Ranieri gives a STELLAR performance as the title character, Salvo D'Acquisto, a young Italian Carabinieri police officer, who sacrificed his very young life to save the lives of 22 men in a Nazi concentration camp. Isa Danieli was equally impressive as Martina. The setting takes place during World War II. After a couple of Nazi soldiers are accidentally killed by a bomb, the Nazis are about to vengefully execute the 22 Italian men being held captive in a beach side concentration camp. Salvo decides to make the ultimate sacrifice, by telling the German soldiers that he is responsible for the bombing, although he and a Nazi soldier both know his innocence. For me the most powerful part of the movie is the last 10 minutes of the film. It's a shame that I can't seem to find this movie anywhere on DVD. I have seen and heard Ranieri's singing abilities online and it's very good. However, I honestly feel that his acting is extremely extraordinary. I wish I could find ANY of his films on DVD.

Generally movie like this celebrating national heroes are rhetorical. Some others are also supporting some political or historic view. This simple, intelligent movie is just perfect. It is based on a well-documented history and proceeds without celebrating anything but the sacrifice of Salvo D'Acquisto. His story is the perfect evidence of those hard times between 1943 and 1945 in Italy. Catholic Church recognized his sacrifice by beatification of Salvo. Italian Republic gave him Gold medal in memory. I recommend it not only to people interested on Italian history but also to whom is searching true testimony about WWII effects in Europe.I give 7 (out of 10).