The Book Theif Movie Review Essay Example

The Book Theif Movie Review Essay The Book Thief Movie Review BY Burglar,98 The Book Thief It all started with a train, some snow and my brother A man with an accordion heart and a woman cloaked In thunder, lathing their new daughters arrival on a street named after Heaven. From the beloved, best-selling novel by Markus Sack, comes the Oscar-winning film directed by Brian Percival, The Book Thief, starring Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and Sophie NÂ ©else. Set in 1938 (shortly after the rise of Adolph Hitler), a mysterious narrator (voiced by Robert Alum) tells the story of a young girl named Lease Melange (Sophie NÂ ©else) who steals The Gravediggers Handbook from a young grave digger, thus starting her love affair with books the beginning to an illustrious career; a career that will end with Lilies defying the society and sparking courage in the hearts of those around her. Meanwhile in the basement of her home a Jewish refugee (Max) is being sheltered by her adoptive parents. The mysterious narrator of the film who we later discover Is Death (or the Grim Repaper expresses the themes of Darkness and The Power of Words through the harassers such as Rudy Steiner, Max Vandenberg (portrayed by Ben Schnauzer) and Hans Hibernate (Geoffrey Rush) in the film, as well as the actions. Death is merely an invisible presence in the film, who finds himself captured in the beauty of Lilies Engineer. Death has a darkly witty and sardonic nature in The Book Thief, as well as his gentler, nourishing side, which we see when he tells of the sadness he feels as he collects the many souls who pass through his arms during the film. We will write a custom essay sample on The Book Theif Movie Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Book Theif Movie Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Book Theif Movie Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer All 3 characters who embody the themes of Darkness and The Power of Words also demonstrate the trudge of an individual against the prevailing ideology of his/her constricted society. We start with Rudy, Lisles first friend in the town of Mulching, Germany. With his blonde hair and blue eyes and his athletic and Intellectual genius, he makes for the perfect Nazi soldier. But because of his naivety and obliviousness to the real horrors of World War II, he truly does not see the harm in wanting to be the fastest man alive like his favorite Olympic relay champion, Jesse Owens (who happened to be an African American man). This proves to be the struggle for Rudy Steiner as he tries to discover his identity in the midst of the chaos and ongoing sadness In Mulching. He goes against his society by demonstrating his love for Jesse Owens, despite the fact that his father tries to explain to him how Wanting to be black Is bad news. Near the end of the movie, he is signed up for a training camp for young Nazi soldiers, and in an attempt to escape the training, runs away into the forest with Lilies for a while, expressing their hatred for Hitler before returning home. When Lilies finally confesses to Rudy that her family is hiding a Jewish person in their basement, Rudy remains faithful to her and stays silent. Story tells us, Mans father sacrificed himself to save Lisles adopted father Hans from the first World War, and therefore owed Mans father a favor; in this case, keeping Max in their basement as refuge from the Jewish concentration camps. The symbol of darkness that we see in the film reflects the most in Mans character; Max hides in the Hibernates house for several years to escape Nazi soldiers, but all the while still managing to stay alive in the darkness of the basement. The darkness of the story in this circumstance represents both fear and safety simultaneously. Max is also the second person (along with Hans Hibernate) who inspires Lilies to read and write in fact, he paints over every page in his copy of Mien Kampala (which initially saved his life) so that Lilies would have a book to write in. He inspires Lilies to speak with her eyes when she writes, and helps to create a unique new sense as she discovers the wonders of how powerful words can be. Last but not least, we introduce Hans Hibernate, the lovable foster father of Lilies with the accordion heart. He is the first person to show compassion towards Lilies upon her arrival in Mulching, by being kind-hearted and gentle, nicknaming her your majesty on her first day with him and his wife, Rosa. He discovers her copy of The Grave-Diggers handbook on her third night at the house, and he insists on bonding with her by proposing that they read the book together. After they finish the first book, she secretly steals another one from a large pile of burning books a symbol of he destruction of the books that ruined the minds of children in the Nazi party. After the two book-lovers finish the second book, Hans surprises Lilies with a gift: A blackboard dictionary, so she can write down all the words shes learnt. This is significant in the way that he almost creates an alternate reality for her to live in, which is somehow illegal because of the laws against specific books. Its also significant in the reflection that he creates the dictionary in the basement, where Max is set to be refugee later in the film. This creates a deeper meaning to both themes in he film, in the sense that it weaves the basement and its darkness further into the meaning of the story, as well as the power of the words that Lilies introduces to Max when he does take refuge downstairs. l have seen a great many things. Eve attended all the worlds worst disasters. And worked for the greatest of villains. And Eve seen the greatest of wonders. But its still like I said it was. No one lives forever. When I finally came for Lilies, I took self- pleasure in the knowledge that she had lived her 90 years so wisely. By then, her Tories had touched many souls; some of them I came to know in passing. Max, whose friendship lasted almost as long as Lilies Almost. In her final thoughts, she saw the long list of loves that merged with hers: Her three children, her grandchildren, her husband Among them, lit like lanterns, were Hans and Rosa, her brother, and the boy whose hair remained the color of lemons forever. I wanted to tell The Book Thief she was one of the few souls that made me wonder what it was to live. But in the end, there were no words. Only peace. The only truth I know is that I am haunted by humans