I can see why this film never really garnered a wide-release and was completely under the radar for any televised awards show. This film is worse than bad. It portrays the main characters as incompetent and idiotic instead of the brave and intelligent people that they were. But to be fair, this is due more to the awful writing than the performances (which were fine). The writing devolved a potentially gripping and dramatic story into melodramatic schlock. If you are looking for a good representation of the struggles of the holocaust, watch Schindler's List, Boy in the Striped Pajamas or read "Maus" or "Night"; please do not watch this garbage.

I just loved this film. The animals deepened my perspective on this horrific historical period. In many ways they symbolize mankind's inclination to impose cruelty and spread hate to the most innocent, the most loving beings. To see corruption imposed on the most undeserving made me reach a level of empathy and emotion I never even knew I had. The enormity of evil of the human race is depicted through these animals and their reaction to the bombs, their fear and inability to understand what is happening really shows how distorted and disturbing and disconnected war is from all living things and this movie really shows how in so many ways we are one of the weakest and most cowardly species on this planet.

If you like seeing animals being executed for 30 minutes you are a sick individual.

GRADE: B-THE FILM IS RECOMMENDED.The Zookeeper 's Wife tells the important story of the Nazi Occupation in Poland and trivializes it with heavy handed sentimentality. The film tells the true story (with way too much melodrama) of Antonina and Jan Zabinski, zookeepers at the Warsaw Zoo, who decide to save some wild animals and many Jews from the Nazis during 1940 until 1945. The obvious symbolism of the newly caged Jews hidden within the walls of the zoo is not easily missed and probably the most subtle reference in this entire film. (Historically, the Zabinskis rescued nearly 300 Jews from their certain deaths.)The Zookeeper's Wife is a well made film, but the subject matter of the Holocaust and its systematic destruction of the Jewish people deserves a more realistic treatment. Although director Niki Caro earnestly tries to tell the story with serious intent, she overstates the obvious throughout the film. The simplistic screenplay by Angela Workman depicts Good vs. Evil in the broadest of terms. To her credit, Ms. Caro creates some powerful images and doesn't shy away from the ugly atrocities upon the Polish people but, the characters, in general, lack depth and rarely seem authentic. The actors play their roles with conviction. Jessica Chastain tackles the part of Antonina and she is a believable presence. As her stoic husband, Johan Heldenbergh is quite compelling. Daniel Bruhl balances his stock character, Lutz Heck, a Nazi sympathizer and animal lover, with a refreshing degree of nuance. He makes one believe in this conflicted man.However, too often, facts make way for fiction in this film adaptation for the sake of dramatic conflict. Though far from accurate, Lutz's infatuation with Antonina becomes a central issue of the story. Also a fine young actress named Shira Haas is cast as Urzula, a totally fictional character much maligned by the Nazi soldiers. While the actress is very effective in her supporting turn, one wishes the filmmakers stayed true to more historic accounts of real events.The Zookeeper's Wife has much to admire, if one can accept the oversimplifications and soap opera plotting presented as truth.