Truth and Treason Review: A haunting tale of anti-Nazism and religion
Spoilers ahead for Truth and Treason!
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, as well as an adamant hater of all things fascism and lover of all films that deal with fighting against said fascism, I was bought in on day one for this movie. This is probably the first time I've ever seen an advertisement for a movie I'd never heard of before and gone to see it later that day. And, as hyped as I was for it, the film still exceeded my expectations and delivered a holistic, impactful experience. That's what I'm here to cover in today's review.
The only mixed feeling I have about this film is that the pacing is a little off at times. Sometimes it lingers a little too long in some moments, and then it flies by in others. Other than that though? It's practically perfect.
Okay, I guess I could also criticize the fact we get another Angel QR code in this movie, but that's not the filmmakers fault, that's the company's fault. Still, just worth noting... and at least its not as egregious as some of the other QR codes of the past.
Now, it's time to get into the good!
This is an incredible adaptation of the story of Helmuth Hübener, an LDS kid who stood up against the Nazi regime. This is one of the most heartbreaking movies I've ever watched, if not the most. It's about a kid, just a year younger than I am right now, who gave everything to give hope to the people of Germany.
This film dives into so many hard-to-watch themes. It shows the ruin someone will fall into simply for doing what's right and fighting against the horrible things in the world. It shows how, even the most devout of church-goers, will crumble under the burden of revolution and weaponize revelation against a Christ-like child in an incorrect way due to their deep-rooted fear of Hitler.
The story delves into themes of racism against Jews and dives into the melancholy of a romance that's destined to crumble under Germany's horrible regime. It explores how corrupt the government is under Hitler and how the Nazis will simply pretend that they are just in the court of law and convict whoever they want for the sake of keeping appearances. It displays the torture that innocents will go through in the hellish circumstances of history. Every scene in this movie displays earnest hope while showing the total darkness of reality.
Truth and Treason is a near-perfect adaptation of Hübener's real-life story that displays earnest hope while delving into the darkest reaches of humanity, making this a harrowing and essential viewing experience.
This isn't a fun movie to watch by any means, even if the first half does have a lot of great humor and cute romance. This is a dark and introspective experience that really delves into history, but from a much more personal, relatable, and small-scale perspective. This is one of those movies that really stirs emotion, ignites discussion, and makes you ponder what you watched. If you don't like films that are mostly centered on rich commentary and not entertainment, this movie is not for you.
The Reel Ranker Verdict
Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 92%
Letter Score: S-
Star Ranking: 4.5 out of 5
This is a near perfect adaptation of Hübener's story. Seeing him living his normal life, and how it slowly descends into ruin, is devastating. Standing up to Hitler when nobody is there to help you—even the allegedly supportive brothers and sisters in the church—is so depressing. This is a perfect, harrowing representation that conveys the horrible truth of what people get for standing up for what is right, and a great reminder that I need to be grateful for the fact that my life is pretty dang good compared to what so many have lived through and are living through.
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