Iron Cross

Roy Schneider's final performance, released to theaters over a decade after his death, is one of his best, and reminds us what a talent we lost. The movie is a terrific psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat to the end.

It's a crime that so many antisemites and Holocaust deniers have review bombed the film and overloaded it with 1-star reviews. Don't let that deceptive number keep you from experiencing an intense and powerful piece of filmmaking, and a remarkable turn by Scheider. That alone is worth the price of admission, but there is plenty more to keep you there.

In short, this is one of those indie movies that you have to track down and see.

BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES - review

You'd be forgiven for expecting a revenge thriller about the Holocaust to have been a fully exhausted, predictable and an over-exposed subject by now. However, Beautiful Blue Eyes, directed by Joshua Newton, breaks the mold.

It is the last ever film of Roy Scheider, in which he plays a retired NYPD cop who visits his estranged son, living in Germany. The story explores the lack of trust between father and son, at first somewhat tensely and the viewer remains just the observer. But with flashbacks to the horror of Nazi-occupied Poland, we are soon fully immersed in the family's tragic history, the unreasonableness of Jew hatred and the futility of war. The main character, Joseph witnesses such cruelty and injustice that no wonder he seeks revenge when he suspects he has found the perpetrator of that injustice, years later. Do not expect the predictable. There is a twist to keep you guessing.

The character of Joseph, played by Roy Scheider, is loosely based on Joshua Newton's father, Bruno Newton. Bruno died during the filming of the movie from the same disease that took Roy Scheider's life nine months later. Originally intended for released in 2009, this new edit of the film, titled Beautiful Blue Eyes, has been made for theatrical release in 2022.

So, now it is 2016, 7 years after the release of the last movie Roy Scheider ever made. People in Europe in 2009 got to see it. It has never been played on television, and it has never gone to DVD or any other media. WHY? I am appalled, and angry that this movie has not gained any recognition from any film studio. And as I have not seen this movie, I will probably never be able to enjoy the last film of a great actor. There used to be a link to the official website where you could actually find out the status of the film and DVD sale. But even that has gone away. What do you have to do to make sure this movie doesn't die somewhere in a close vault??? Mad as hell.

My wife and I had heard of Joshua Newton's film being developed many years ago, and we were saddened by Roy Scheider's untimely death. With new technology, the film was able to be finished.

We were not disappointed. Beautiful Blue Eyes is constantly moving, always moving forward type of movie. The historical uniforms, trucks and equipment look very authentic.

So many people associate the Holocaust with Auschwitz alone, yet mass shootings were also a large part along eastern Europe. This movie illustrates another side of the Holocaust.

We strongly encourage everyone to watch this gripping film.

I was lucky enough to receive an early screen for Beautiful Blue Eyes and I was hugely impressed with it. The portrayal of Joesph and the fallout from his traumatic past was conveyed with tremendous sincerely and emotional honesty.

I thought Roy Scheider was mesmerising, the film providing a harrowing swan song for the late great actor. I liked the intercutting of past and present and thought the presentation of Joseph's trauma was very effective. The ending was particularly haunting and will leave viewers with much to think upon long after the film has ended.

Given the horrific backdrop of the Holocaust and the sensitivity it requires, I thought the film handled the subject matter respectfully and portrayed the scars created in the aftermath poignantly. I would highly recommend watching this.