Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Resistance Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 21, 2020

Stories concerning the events of World War II are catnip to film producers, gifting them a chance to explore a seemingly simpler time of heroism and villainy, while most of the features pay careful attention to gritty tales of sacrifice during a period of unimaginable violence. For “Resistance,” the saga of Marcel Marceau is examined, with the man who became world famous due to his mastery of mime once a French resistance soldier who had a hand in saving a large number of Jewish children during horrific years of Nazi occupation. Writer/director Jonathan Jakubowicz (“Hands of Stone”) certainly has a take on WWII challenges and suffering, and while it’s unclear just how accurate “Resistance” is, it does offer an unexpected source of conflict, depicting Marceau as a man of honor and creativity looking for safety in war and art.

In France during the late 1930s, Marcel Marceau (Jesse Eisenberg) is a young man who wants to pursue mime work, giving him a chance to express himself. His butcher father doesn’t welcome the idea, expecting his son to keep a steady job and marry a local girl, with Emma (Clemence Poesy) the perfect match. As the Nazis gradually claim Europe, Marcel is introduced to the need of Jewish war orphans, joining Emma in a plan to protect children and keep them out of German hands. While Klaus Barbie (Matthias Schweighofer), a cruel Nazi leader, steps up efforts to bring down the French resistance, Marcel quests to provide a safe haven for the helpless, teaming with Emma to prevent more senseless loss.

“Resistance” initially plays around with time to help take command of audience attention. There’s a jump from 1938 to 1945, with a speech from General Patton (Ed Harris) to gathered troops acting as the bookends of the feature, though it’s not needed. There’s enough dramatic heft in Marcel’s youthful quests to embrace his creative side to power the picture, and the helmer ultimately gets to more of a bio-pic position, depicting the subject’s frustrations with his father, who dismisses him as a “clown,” urging the boy to take the butcher business seriously. Marcel can’t bring himself to commit to such a life, working out his routines in brothels, mimicking the comedic antics of his hero, Charlie Chaplin.

The screenplay gets into the nature of Marceau’s drive to perform, feeling such a need in his bones. However, wartime concerns interrupt his mission to bring joy to the masses, suddenly caught up in an underground movement to protect Jewish orphans in France, at first taking command of an abandoned castle. It’s here where “Resistance” details Marceau’s humanity, working to entertain the kids through bleak times, but also using his performance skills to teach them safety measures around Nazis. His connection to Emma deepens as well, with the pair bonding over a shared desire for safety and compassion.

“Resistance” eventually gets around the black heart of war, introducing Barbie as a villainous figure, out to destroy resistance efforts as he takes control of Lyon, setting up shop inside the Hotel Terminus. Jakubowicz gets a little broad with his storytelling once Barbie enters the feature, trying for a more simplified understanding of good and evil, offering near-misses and attacks to boost the revolution aspects of the tale. And there’s some sinister Nazi activity, with Barbie using flaying techniques to force one character to surrender resistance information. The film isn’t graphic (Jakubowicz doesn’t want to turn off the older target demographic), but it does have some heaviness, keeping things slightly formulaic as the evil Nazi pursues the pure hero across France. Some conflicts connect as expected, exploring Marceau’s theatrical training and skill with character. Others feel pulled from a television movie, losing some grit as the production maintains German wickedness.

Resistance Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Resistance" offers extremely sharp detail, with one of the first faces on display in the picture belonging to Ed Harris, with his aged appearance as General Patton securing every last wrinkle and fine hair. The rest of the movie delivers exact skin surfaces and fibrous costuming, dealing with heavy cold weather wear and leather Nazi uniforms. Town tours are dimensional, and interiors retain a crisp view of decoration and spartan living spaces. Colors are alert, securing bold reds for Nazi flags. The palette aims for a cooler presence with stone building views and mountain escapes, but summery hues are present as well, including bright greenery. Skintones are natural. Delineation deals with some heavy blacks during evening events and limited lighting, but frame information isn't lost. Some banding is periodically detected.

Resistance Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix remains respectful of the historical mood, using surrounds to push out crowd bustle and train stop commotion, also offering immersive atmospherics with town movement. Scoring is also circular, offering sharp instrumentation with warm strings, handling mournful moods and more excitable wartime pursuits. Dialogue exchanges are exact, securing many accents without muddiness. Low-end offers some impact with explosions and vehicle operation.

Resistance Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Visual Effects Reel (3:59, HD) is a brief overview of the digital tricks used in "Resistance," covering the creation of snowscapes, trains, towns, and armies.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:25, HD)

Resistance Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Resistance" is a solid picture about an unusual hero and his work to protect young lives from extinction. It's not always the most original endeavor, with Jakubowicz trying to make something suspenseful, which tends to paint over the gritter elements of a successful bio-pic. However, his mission to provide a different kind of spotlight on Marceau's accomplishments is laudable, endeavoring to understand how a man the world knows as a mime (and one who provided the only spoken word in Mel Brooks's "Silent Movie") was actually a war hero.