10 Underrated War Horror Movies
1. The Painted Bird
Based on Jerzy Kosinski's novel of the same name, The Painted Bird centres around a Jewish boy who does what he can to survive alone during World War II.
In this black-and-white drama, the young lad witnesses the death of his aunt, the burning of his home, the hanging of a man, and the sexual assault of a woman. As heart-wrenching as all that sounds, these traumatic incidents occur in the first act of this 169-minute film. And yet, these travesties are nothing compared to what the boy endures later.
What makes this folk horror so unsettling is how every ghastly image is rooted in history. These haunting incidents didn't just occur, but were witnessed and experienced first-hand by the most innocent souls, including our young protagonist.
Any fleeting moment of hope and happiness is quickly dashed, leaving the child with no safe haven. Although zombies and vampires are creepy to some, they can't compare to watching a boy having his purity and chastity stripped from him against his will.
As remarkable as The Painted Bird is, there are few who have the stomach or the will to sit through it in its entirety.