I normally nod my head in agreement at most comments made in reviews (and the scores), but here but I have to disagree with the overall film rating. 5/10?
I think you've actually missed the point of the film.
indeed, it would be very difficult to make a bad film with such an emotive and amazing story
Actually I think it's a testament to the skill of the director that this
isn't a bad film. How do you approach material like this? No audiences had seen anything like Schindler's List when it was released, it was a bold move to make it in black and white, and even bolder to show things in such an unflinching way.
I can think of lots of directors who would have made a mess of this imho...
The famous girl in red sequence simply doesnt work - It pulls you out of the film, making the moment both unnecessary and intrusive
I think this is where you've really missed it. This scene was one of the most poignant moments I've ever experienced in a film: we're witnessing the mass evacuation of the ghetto, the scenes are chaotic and filled with lots of people, lots of soliders, and casual, wanton killings. In the midst of this chaos - it's a "macro" scene after all - our eyes are drawn to this small splash of colour, to a single, wandering child and it's the focus on the
micro, the insignificant, the little girl who's alone - which reinforces the idea that everyone is an individual, that individual lives are being torn apart in the maelstrom and that
everything matters.
I think my dissection of that scene is probably rather poor (there's also I think some statement about childhood innocence surrounded by atrocity) and maybe I've missed the mark myself in some regards, but I would never call that scene unnecessary. I do, however, think it is intrusive, but that is the intention: you're not meant to be watching closely the line of Jews being executed against the wall, you're supposed to be focusing on the little girl, but aware of the things going on around her. And when we see the red coat later on in the film, it's almost with a sinking heart...
As for the sentimentality issue, I also don't agree - I can see why people do think it was slightly over sentimental, but you should put aside your cynicism and see the power of those last scenes, along with the statement on modern day materialism (and how true is that, when Schindler's talking about how many lives were in his gold ring...and ultimately, the gold ring means nothing). This sequence has me balling every damn time
I commend you for saying exactly what you think (and not what people expect you to think), but I don't agree. And after all, wouldn't it be a boring place if we all held the same opinions?