Sometimes movies and tv shows and books are poorly marketed. Number 24 is one of those simply from the image they use; of a soldier firing his weapon. It is a war movie, but not one in the usual sense.
It’s a Norwegian movie about the most decorated member of the Resistance during World War II. It is not, however, your usual thriller full of action. It alternates between the protagonist as an old man talking about his experiences to a group of school children and his experiences during the German occupation.
It is a true story. And as such, shows the good, the bad and the ugly of Resistance. In Special Forces we studied resistance movements through history and the lessons learned, often at the cost of blood and death, are the same over and over. The bravery of the handful of people who stood up to the Nazis is inspiring.
But it also shows the cost of doing so. Of friends on opposite sides. The cost of meting out justice.
It also demonstrates how easily people can become evil. And how hard it is to be heroic in the face of evil.
I found the movie to be understated yet powerful. Let us hope we never have to make the decisions the protagonist, Gunnar Sønsteby, had to make.
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