(Like my review of Hidden Figures a few months ago, this
review will only be a short one because I’m currently working on a different
post that’s set to come out this week.)
In The Zookeeper’s
Wife, directed by Niki Caro (who will be directing the upcoming live-action
remake of Disney’s Mulan) and based
on the non-fiction novel of the same name by author Diane Ackerman, Jessica Chastain
stars as Antonina Żabińska who, in the 1930’s,
operated the Warsaw Zoo in Poland with her husband, Dr. Jan Żabiński (Johan Heldenbergh).
Their peaceful lives are soon shattered, though, when the Nazis begin to invade
Poland during World War II. An air raid on September 1st, 1939 ends
up destroying most of their zoo. At the same time, Nazi forces begin to
forcibly remove the country’s Jewish population from their homes and put them
in a desolate ghetto. Realizing the horrible situation that the Jews are currently
in, Antonina and Jan decide to make the bold attempt of trying to rescue Jewish
children and adults by hiding them from the Nazis within their home at the zoo.
Ultimately, they ended up taking in about 300 ‘guests’ during Germany’s
occupation of their city. It’s a powerful true story and while I don’t think
that the film fully succeeds in achieving the emotional depth that it’s trying
to achieve, its heart is very much in the right place and the direction from
Niki Caro is solid. It’s also well-acted, highlighted by the always reliable
Jessica Chastain as Antonina and Daniel Brühl as Dr. Lutz Heck, ‘Hitler’s zoologist’ who soon
comes into conflict, and even has a bit of romantic tension, with Antonina. So,
in short, it’s not perfect but The
Zookeeper’s Wife is still a poignant war drama that highlights a remarkable
moment that came out of the horrors of World War II.
Rating: 3.5/5
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