This was a really interesting movie (even though I missed the first half). First, I must say that it is really weird to see Alec Baldwin so young and in such a serious role. He did a good job. I wonder what it must have been like for the actors playing Goering, Speer, and the others.
It was absolutely disgusting to listen to the one man (I forget his name) talk about the zyklon B. He basically compared people to lice! I just wiki-ed zyklon B. One of the "doctors" who oversaw the gassing described the effects on the body and it is so horrible, I can't even type it here.
The part of the movie that stuck out the most to me was the part where the psychologist was describing his "conclusions". His first conclusion was that Germany is a nation of people who take orders without question. I personally think "as a soldier it is my duty to follow orders" is a really lame excuse. In fact, it is no excuse at all--it is just the reason that they did what they did. It is ironic that they could be so preoccupied with duty and loyalty, but have a complete disregard for all morality, justice, and decency. And in a nation where "the 'no men' are buried six feet underground" didn't someone at one point have to disobey authority to obtain the power? Who decides who gets to break the rules? The second conclusion was that a lack of empathy is the source of evil. This could not be better said or more true. I totally agree. I actually thought of last night's Grey's Anatomy, where one of the doctors, as this (crazy) man is about to shoot her, starts rambling about herself--her name, age, details about her home and her family. She survives by trying to arouse empathy, make the shooter see how much she is just like him. During the Holocaust, some non-Jews turned against their friends--clearly lacking sympathy. but we should not forget that there were people who did have empathy and tried to save their friends.
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