I agree with the above comments to a point. This movie is *very* well researched, directed, rehearsed, budgeted, catered, begged/borrowed/steal, and even the concession hats and T-shirts are comfortable! Well worth the above and this review! It is incredible how this producer found so many story lines and accurate-looking actors to play Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt, Hitler, Mussolini, et.al. Each actor portrayed is from the culture they are representing--even though they are Russian. Where the Producers got an accurately speaking Roosevelt (Stanislav Yaskevich)& Churchill (Yury Durov), I don't know. Goebbels, Himmler, Eva Braun, and Zhukov are featured or starred in this great piece of cinematic art.
I would not, however, rate this *with* Saving Private Ryan and contemporary movies as this movie is well directed. Contemporary director's have picked up a bad habit of "shaking the camera to death." "Liberation" is easy to watch. It does not force the audience to chase the eyes of the actors across the screen. The scene changes during the battles are approximately 6 seconds apart--allowing the audience to experience the whole screen. Plus, there are some margins on the close-ups of the actors faces--half their foreheads are not missing at the top of the screen. Plus, this is a Division-sized movie reflecting the time it was made. Moscow/E. Germany didn't spare a ruble/Mark on extras. Since then, movies have been more squad-level...more or less. All of these good habits have been discarded by the film industry; perhaps for the hyperactive, short-attention-spanned, ADHD, instant-gratification, computerized audience member today. I rate this movie *above* the above mentioned movies.
The Soviets and East Germans were not attempting to politicize this movie. It is told with the same entertainment value as any western movie. The subtitles are a bit tricky, but easy to overcome. This movie is well worth watching because it is easy to follow, easy to read and view at the same time, and if you are into WWII history as I am, you will enjoy the feel the historical accuracy will give.
