简介：Yesitwasawful,butthisfilmcan'tjusttradeonthat,18April2004 Author:bobthemoofromBirmingham,UK AGermanofficerisresponsiblefortakingtheJewishprisonersfromtheirquarters,upthepathandtothegaschambers.Hethenreturnswithhiscartloadedhighwiththeirclothesandpossessions.Eachtriphewalkspasttheenclosureholdingyoungchildren.Eachtimehehastocontentwiththesilentstaresofayoungboy.Withtimetheyoungsoldierbeginstobuckleundertheunspokenjudgementofthisboy. IwillalwaysgiveshortfilmsagobutImustadmitthatthefilmsproducedunderthemantleof`ShortStoryCinema'arenotmuchcop.Theyseemtonotreallybeworriedaboutmakingthemverygood-noneofthemreallyfeelliketheyhaveagreatsenseofstyleandthesubstanceofmostislacking.TheWitnessisanotherintheseriesoflackingshortsthatwerepartofthisstable.Thefilmtradeswhollyofthefactthattheholocaustisanemotional,movingandtragiceventinourhistory.Forthatreasonthefilm'swholeplotisthefactthattheyoungsoldiercannotstandthejudgingofthoseinnocentyoungeyeseachtime-nodialogueandnoemotionofit'sown.Withoutastoryituseshistorytodrawoutfeelingsintheaudience-arathercheaptrickthatiseffectivebutlazy.Ididn'texpectcharactersbutIexpectedmorethanjustthebasicstirringupofrealfeelings-itisnotafilmtosimplystate`thishappened,howawful'. Thecastisactuallyquitegoodhowever-eveniftheydon'treallyactuallysayanythingordeliveremotionthatwell.SiniseisOKanddeliversacruelrolewithagoodlackof`evil'tohim.AyoungElijahWoodshowsthathehasalwayshadFrodo'sbigwidewateryeyes;allhedoeshereisstarewiththe`painofgenerations'inhiseyes.IthinkcertainlySiniseknewthathistoryisabletodotheemotionalworkforhimand,likethedirector,washappytoletthatdothework. Overall,aworthysubjectbutonethatisnotdeliveredverywell,insteadthefilmjusttradesoffthefeelingsthatthesystematicmurderoftheJewsstirsinusall.Asashortfilmitisworthseeingoncebutitisfartoosimplisticandlazytoreallyengageevenifthesubjectismoving.Notagoodfilmbutworthawatch-justashamethatittradesonthe`lookatthis'schooloffilmmaking.…