WWII in HD : A Review

Part three in a three part series reviewing modern documentaries.

Film: WWII in HD

They were brave, they were great. They were the ones who were not afraid to stand in the line of fire to defend their country. For some, it was a country they could barely call home. These were the men that fought in a war that was all consuming. This was a war that involved nearly every country in the world, including all of the great nations. This was a terrible war that took the lives of many young men, who would never come back home to their families, their lovers, their children.

What is unique about World War 2 is that it is the first war where we have mass amounts of film footage that capture the horrors of the war. The documentary World War 2 in HD shows just this. This documentary doesn’t just show you a story; it lets you live the experience. It does more than present footage of a bloody war; it makes you somehow emotionally connected to the men who lived it firsthand. Even for those who have little knowledge of the war can feel mass amounts of empathy for those brave souls.

The documentary starts with the depiction of a sequence of military events that show massive amounts of carnage and loss. In between this is a military parade celebrating the reign of Hitler and Nazi Germany. How one man caused the world to enter such a horrible war is truly a powerful question asked by this documentary. We are left at the end of this sequence with the firing squad killings of many men. We zoom to a soldier who survived the war. The regretful, reflective look in his eyes shows an emotion that no one in this modern age knows- a true loss of innocence. This solider has been through something we will hopefully never have to go through.

This documentary makes you feel like you are right there beside these soldiers. The footage is of amazing quality, which surprises me considering when it was taken. The colours, the brilliance of the shots make it better than most home videos shot in the modern era. We must remember that the original shots had no sound and all had to be edited in. This is done flawlessly and is so well done that it is as though you yourself are fully immersed in the battle. The emotional aspect of this documentary is so exceptionally played upon. The transitions keep you going at such a pace that you are almost overwhelmed with such drastic feelings. When I watched this documentary I had chills during some scenes. The way these people acted, on both the axis and allied sides, is powerful. The way these men had to kill other human beings in such a calm manner is so horrific. This is showed in such editing brilliance that the true weight of this is felt throughout the show.

A brilliant idea that is used in this documentary is using actors to narrate the parts of ex-soldiers, to give the documentary an even more surreal feel. This is done flawlessly. They give the men a very realistic view. This is one of the reasons I feel the monumental weight of the war has been lost the new generation- they cannot connect. They hear and see, but they cannot feel. This documentary makes the men of the past seem like everyday men, people who had little idea what they were getting into. That is one of the real shames of war, how people who know nothing of each other are sent against out to kill one another.

I cannot emphasize the brilliance to the editing job that is done on WW2 in HD. The after effects used on the title screens between shots are done so effectively that it just continues to build the emotion. Pictures, interviews and the main footage are used in perfect proportions. There is never a stagnant moment. For those who may be lacking in geographical knowledge, visually appealing maps give every detail needed to fully understand each battle. Each battle that is shown is given such a detailed description that the full importance is known. Battles like Pearl Harbour, Guadacanal and Midway are shown in such a descriptive manner that you crave to know the outcome. What is powerfully done throughout is the integration of memorable speeches done by the leaders of the allied countries. These speeches are well known and their use is done to such a strong effect that will give most chills.

What this film does is show you more than footage, it makes it come alive. You feel everything these soldiers would have felt in this time of war. For those who have some family tie to this war, it is even more powerful. I myself almost got teary during some parts due to the weight this war had on the world. This was one of the most significant times in the history of mankind. I think it is a shame that so many people just don’t understand it, that they shrug it off. If we had lost this war, I don’t think many people see how much we would have lost. Who knows if we would still have a country to call our own? This documentary had a lot to live up to when presenting this footage. It had to be respectful and show the war in a certain light. World War 2 in HD does just this, taking it to a whole new level. I had myself asking questions like “what would I do in a situation like that”, “would I do what they did” and “would I live?” This documentary takes an emotional connection that has been lost over time and immediately rebuilds it. Those who didn’t live it will and those who did will relive it. An amazing and powerful experience that should be viewed by all.