The Liberator – Review
I’m always on the lookout for good movies or series based on the Second World War, especially if they are based on real persons and events. One that I recently watched was The Liberator, a four episode mini-series.
At first I was not sure what to make of it. In some ways, it is both live action and animated. You have to see it to understand it. I struggled a bit with this style because my brain kept switching back forth in thinking it was live action or animation.
However, I was quickly engaged with the story. It follows Felix Sparks, who commanded the 157th Infantry Regiment. What made this regiment unique was the mix of ethnic groups represented. These men who were not allowed to drink together, were allowed to die together in Europe.
The series follows them from Italy to France to Germany. It doesn’t glamorize war but portrays it in all of its suffering. One of the things I appreciated was that it did not turn the Germans into stereotypical monsters, deserving to die. They are shown as humans, who can both give and require mercy.
The series ends with the regiment liberating Dachau. Even animated, it is a powerful moment as they discover what the Nazis had been doing. The contrast between the area of the camp where the officers lived and where the prisoners lived and died was shocking.
I would recommend The Liberator. It was worth watching and it gives a sense of the horror of war and what it can do to both sides.
