The World Will Tremble tells the never-before-told true story of a group of World War II Polish Jewish prisons attempting to escape from a Nazi death camp in order to be the world’s first eyewitness account of the Holocaust. Written & directed by Lior Geller, the film stars Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Jeremy Neumark Jones, Anton Lesser, David Kross, Charlie Macgehan, Michael Fox, Michael Epp, and Danny Scheinmann. The film releases in select theaters on March 14th.

When the film was first presented to me, I was surprised that I never heard of this true story before. If it wasn’t for these men, we wouldn’t know about the Holocaust, so why was this never taught to us? Maybe growing up in America, it’s easy to not know this since America was not directly involved. The concept alone heavily intrigued me as it seemed to promise telling a perspective I have never seen before of the war. That may interest others. Like myself, I believe others will also witness something profoundly important.

My strongest recommendation going into this is to temper expectations that the premise will start right away. I was very interested in the premise, but the first act is entirely geared towards the setup and motive. The pacing can be a bit slow at times, especially since you already know what’s to come. I would have personally liked to have gone in knowing that there were men trying to escape, but having to go through hoops in order to do so. That never diminishes the fact that the first act is still heartbreaking to get through.

The first act dedicates its time to never rushing the story. There is a purpose and a drive to why these characters do what they end up doing. Every single one of the men have a driving purpose, but they also know how dangerous an escape is. They don’t just want to escape to freedom. They want the world to know what’s going on. Seeing these men go through the impossible to get there allows the film to stay authentic and realistic.

Just as the film fully embraces what it is really about is the film at its most satisfying. The musical score and sound design sweeps through every single scene that makes you feel like you are with these characters. The first act does serve a purpose with making you connect with the characters more. Since you see what these men go through in the first act, the unthinkable could happen at any minute, making the mission nail-biting. It left me on the edge of my seat, leading into a heartbreaking and emotionally satisfying ending.

The film’s structure is separated in what feels like three poignant acts. The first goes through the Hell the men went through. The second act doubles down on the premise. The third act has such incredible dialogue that heightens Oliver Jackson-Cohen’s performance. I have always enjoyed Jackson-Cohen’s work, but his performance stands tall amongst his prior work. Up until now, it seemed like there was a little bit of a typecast for the actor as an abusive romantic partner. Here, he is able to showcase his abilities to say so much through his expressions, leading into a finale where he has to give some of the best dialogue of the film. It’s truly his best performance to date.

I also found myself easily connecting with the side characters. There are some substantial characters that help motivate the escape. There is a particular character who truly goes through some stuff. Without giving much away, there is a reveal with the character in the first act that is shocking. By the end of the film, I was floored by how detailed the particular scene actually was. It’s clear how important it is for writer & director Lior Geller to tell something as authentic and as realistic as possible.

Writer & director Lior Geller creates a realistic atmosphere that has so much attention to the detail. I was amazed by how much more I learned about the subject matter. I learned a lot in school about the war, but the war has so many more perspectives to it that gives you a better idea as to what happen. This is why I try to watch anything and everything, especially foreign films and smaller indies. The true story will give you a deeper appreciation for a new film like this being told on big screen.

Overall, The World Will Tremble is an incredible first-hand account on a perspective never seen before. It is hard to stomach at times, but it’s an important watch that effectively stays true to the story and its characters. Oliver Jackson-Cohen delivers one of his best roles to date in a cast full of outstanding performances. What occurs in the film will stay with you long after watching it. I suppose that’s a testament to the film telling a part of history.

VERDICT: 4.5/5 (Amazing)