The Boy in the Woods

Where do I start? There are so many criticisms of this movie that I'm only going to mention the most obvious. The most glaring is the 'shaky camera syndrome' which will induce an epileptic reaction in the more sensitive viewers, but appears to be popular among the less gifted directors these days. Second on the list is the horrendous acting. Hard to take anything they say or do seriously. Next is the wardrobe. It appears they went to the local second hand bin to retrieve the costumes. Perhaps it was due to the budget; which apparently was bare minimal. Lastly; these type of films seem to be churned out ad nauseam these days, and frankly, are getting so predictable and tiresome.

I had to write something because I was stunned at the low rating here on IMDB. The movie was for me waaaay better than current 5,4 stars (August 2024).

As fiction it would have not worked, but as it is a true story it hits differently. There are connections made to real life people and events. It's amazing what people have had to survive. And how little it takes to either continue or end generations. This is not a movie about atrocities of the Holocaust, altough they obviously are a the root of all that happens. I liked this one person survival perspective and this type of story that's rare in this context.

The boy lead does a wonderful job, as does his buddy in the film. There are some quite cliche types here and there, but then again I'm sure that's how they were, and I'll have to take in the film makers' vision.

I'm happy that I got to experience this story. Thank you. I will now research if I can find the documentary referenced at the end.

I'm a big fan of Richard Aremitage from his work in MI-5 and other projects so he was the main reason I purchased this video. And I have a big interest in WWll stories like this one about a young Jewish boy separated from his Mom who is sent to a concentration camp But neither Richard nor the young actor playing the boy in the woods can save the film from being a painfully slow, near wordless 90 minute cure for insomnia. There isn't much to the story; a young boy left to fend for himself during the Nazis occupation of Poland. The dialogue is minimal and many scenes of the boy in the woods go on and on adding up to nothing. It all adds up to a waste of 90 minutes of your time watching a film you won't likely enjoy.

The story itself is one of tremendous hardship, bravery, and survival. For what appears to be a limited budget film the director is still able to deliver. There is no doubt that the acting leaves quite a bit to be desired. The costume design is not up to what you would expect and the camera shots are not good but acceptable.

Again, despite all its flaws the film stays on course and delivers its message. The ending scene where it shows the real life character for me adds so much to it all. Being able to see the human connection in real life added so much strength to the importance of the story and why it was essential that it was told. The saying "save one life, save the world" is played out in real time as you get to see the generations saved by one little boys brave decision and the sacrifice of others made to protect this life in a time of great danger.

The film is a powerful story of hope, resilience, and survival of the human spirit. There aren't many films about personal stories during the Holocaust let alone for those who were in situations outside of the camps. You can't simply dismiss it for not having as much action/climax as other films because it is based on a true story and adding exceedingly unnecessary plot devices and ideas takes away from the fact that this is the true-story of someone's fight for survival, especially as a child in an environment most adults couldn't handle in that era, let alone the 21st century. The film kept me on the edge of my seat and touched my heart in ways a fictional story never could have this genre. The actors, especially the main three did brilliantly and respected the actual persons they portrayed. The added bit post-ending with the actual survivor was a heartwarming bit which made the film all the more special. It is a well worth watching film.

The main stars, all three were excellent in the roles.