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The Ship of no Return: The Last Voyage of the Gustloff
Based on a true story, The Ship of no
Return: The Last Voyage of the Gustloff takes place in 1945 where a
passenger ship from Gotenhafen is sunk in the middle of the ocean.
Dubbed as the world’s greatest naval disaster, this ship was carrying
more than 10,000 people and only 1 in 10 people survived.
Not only was the ship carrying
civilians, it was also carrying German soldiers who were escaping the
Russians. Although this was a passenger ship, it’s purpose was to ferry
people out of the war as the refugees were littered throughout the ship
which was in blight contrast with the military officials aboard who saw
this ship as a cruise ship.
In terms of drama, the director
successfully manages to create an interesting tale as he highlights a
variety of people onboard the ship, whether it’s the civilian captain
trying to hold control of his ship, the innocent refugees or the German
military.
Of course some artistic liberty was used
in reference to the characters onboard, however it’s still a true story
that is quite dark and depressing. The movie itself is frightfully very
long at times and can be a little dull and lacklustre, however it
successfully recreates this tragedy without laying blame on one person
or another.
The disc also contains a documentary
that accurately informs the viewer about what actually happened and
where the Gustloff lies today in Polish waters. A very moving film with
good video and audio quality. |
