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Before the Fall
Sep. 28th, 2024 07:16 pmI recently saw the movie Before the Fall (2004).
I couldn't help but write about it.
The movie is about 16-year-old Friedrich, who gets a chance to enroll Napola—a Nazi school, upon graduation from which one can get a high position in the Nazi hierarchy. Disobeying his father, who does not support the government, and consequently his son's desire to study there, he runs away from home. In Napola, Friedrich meets Albrecht, and the latter helps him to rethink the idea he truly believed in and to see what Nazism really is.
The film in no way romanticizes Nazism or fascism, nor does it expose them for the good. Just the opposite; it shows the viewer how children became victims of Nazi propaganda, how cruel the Nazis were and how difficult it was to see the truth and most importantly—to remain human when everyone is gone mad.
I absolutely loved Albrecht at the beginning, but I loved him even more after the scene where he read out his essay and didn't stop when the teacher demanded to. But I can't ignore Friedrich's arc: would you have had the courage and intelligence to realize that what you believed in was only bringing harm and killing?
The relationship between Friedrich and Albrecht is one of the best I've ever seen, and the scene in the restroom was heartbreaking. And I probably understand why people ship them.
I highly recommend this movie. And I'm genuinely excited for those who will watch it for the first time.
10/10
I couldn't help but write about it.
The movie is about 16-year-old Friedrich, who gets a chance to enroll Napola—a Nazi school, upon graduation from which one can get a high position in the Nazi hierarchy. Disobeying his father, who does not support the government, and consequently his son's desire to study there, he runs away from home. In Napola, Friedrich meets Albrecht, and the latter helps him to rethink the idea he truly believed in and to see what Nazism really is.
The film in no way romanticizes Nazism or fascism, nor does it expose them for the good. Just the opposite; it shows the viewer how children became victims of Nazi propaganda, how cruel the Nazis were and how difficult it was to see the truth and most importantly—to remain human when everyone is gone mad.
I absolutely loved Albrecht at the beginning, but I loved him even more after the scene where he read out his essay and didn't stop when the teacher demanded to. But I can't ignore Friedrich's arc: would you have had the courage and intelligence to realize that what you believed in was only bringing harm and killing?
The relationship between Friedrich and Albrecht is one of the best I've ever seen, and the scene in the restroom was heartbreaking. And I probably understand why people ship them.
I highly recommend this movie. And I'm genuinely excited for those who will watch it for the first time.
10/10
