I really wanted to appreciate Terezin (it was based on a true story!) but the execution was flawed. Instead of capturing the brutal reality of the Theresienstadt camp, the film presents an almost dreamy, inspiring atmosphere....completely at odds with what actually happened. The background music of all things, felt oddly uplifting at times, making scenes that should have been harrowing feel more like a historical romance.
The conditions in the camp were horrendous, yet this movie glosses over the suffering and making it seem far less dire than it was. It's almost as if the filmmakers took cues from the Nazi propaganda of this being a "model ghetto" rather than historical truth. The story lacked emotional weight, and instead of immersing viewers in the reality of how this horrendous experience actually was, it felt like a soft melodrama.
It's a cool story, but the writing was bad. Acting seemed cheesy. If you're looking for a film that truly honors the victims and portrays history accurately, this isn't it.
