Jojo Rabbit (Non-spoiler) - Written Review (Patreon)

Jojo Rabbit – directed by Taika Waititi | Fox Searchlight Distributed

Review Written by Matthew J. Sella 

After making a lot of well-deserved attention for himself to the mainstream after Thor Ragnarok, a lot of folks wondered what big project would be next for him. Would it be the next Guardians of the Galaxy or another comic book film? He came out not too long to announce his next film, Jojo Rabbit, where he will not only direct the film but star as the incarnation of Adolf Hitler, as fantasized in the mind of a young German boy aspiring to be a Nazi. The whole premise sounded a bit bizarre, but a take on the dark part of history that may be worth taking a look, as it was based on Christine Leunens's book Caging Skies, and pitched itself as a satirical historic comedy.

The film tells the story of Jojo Betzler, a 10 year old German boy who is seen as a weak rabbit compared to the other kids, and so his fascination with the Fuehrer of the Nazi Party, imagines Hitler as a means to psych the boy into being a proper Nazi, which often leads him into situations. His impressionable mind is challenged when he finds out his mother, played by Scarlett Johansson, is high a Jewish Girl in the attic, played by Thomasin McKenzie. With his eccentric imaginary friend pacing by his ears, Jojo unravels what's going on as War rages on.

While I am no historian by any means, I've always found myself enamored with WWII history and tales of survival by the people caught in the senseless rage of the Nazis. Some of the most compelling stories for me came from films like Schindler's List or  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas where it shows the perspective of the war through the eyes of one or a few characters. And so, I jumped at the chance to see Taika's take on such a dark subject. 

Needless to say, I was also captivated by this film. My bias obviously apparent, but I greatly loved the care into the setting and cinematography of this film. The tones of the German town and the way the shots were set up really made it feel like a lived-in town during the 1940s. It felt authentic and bright as it may appear to a child. Speaking of which, the choice of having the film be told completely in the eyes of Jojo, a German Kid, worked extremely well. While I knew the general history of how the War went down, Jojo did not know. He was just a child brought up to believe in the regime. If comparisons are a concern, I believe the boy practically worshiping the Nazi party is the big difference between this film and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and the children in that film were not quite in the know of what the war really meant.

The other difference is this is a dark comedy, supported by a strong cast with well-placed one-liners and situations that undercut what these characters believe in. And while some may seem to attribute comedy not taking the subject matter seriously is I believe Taika balanced the comedy well enough to amplify the true weight of what WWII did to impact everyone. When it came to the Nazis' ill hatred for the Jews, stakes couldn't be any more real. So through the eyes of Jojo, we learn of what is there to trust, who not to trust, and I believe that's what made this film compelling.

Overall, it is hard for me to say I loved it given the nature of the film's subject, but it's definitely up there with WWII related films that cover the horrors of the Nazi Regime and the innocence of the Jewish people trying to escape their senseless and inhumane rampage. Truly a difficult subject to take in, to see what was behind us not yet even a century ago. But I personally feel it is best to revisit these stories to remind us what mankind went through then, so we can prevent such horrors in our future.

I strongly recommend if you enjoy Taika Waititi's touch of comedy and also a WWII History buff. It may leave you laughing, but also reflecting as well.

~Matt Sella