Netflix's 'The Liberator' Review: WWII story of Felix Sparks is a visual treat that will give you all the patriotic feels
Netflix celebrated Veterans Day with its World War II mini TV series 'The Liberator' - the heroic story of US Army officer Felix Sparks and his band of men who came from different backgrounds but fight one common foe. The rotoscope-flavored animation and live-action performance that feels like a graphic novel come to life, will surely give you all the comics feels. Adapted from Alex Kershaw's book of the same title by Jeb Stuart and director Greg Jonkajtys, 'The Liberator' is based on the true story of Sparks, played by Bradley James, who was a commander of the 3rd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, during World War II. The story is a perfect narration of the 500-day fighting campaign across Europe from the Battle of Anzio to the Battle of Aschaffenburg to Operation Dragoon to the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp.
The title of Kershaw's book refers primarily to a single man, Sparks, and that 'The Liberator', as a TV series, is concerned primarily with Sparks, who nicknamed his army of men as 'Thunderbirds'. The soldiers were an unlikely mix of Mexican-Americans, Native Americans and Okie cowboys, who came together to fight their one common enemy, despite having racial differences between them. At that time, America was beset with racism as people of color were not allowed in several hotels and restaurants and in many other places. The show is a perfect example of how these soldiers live together, ate together and did everything together, which they might not have done if they were not a part of the same battalion.
'The Liberator' was previously an eight-episode show but the makers trimmed it down to 4 episodes, which according to me was a perfect step as 8 hours of this war drama would have led to monotony. The show shines when the animation captures gunfire, bloody violence and combat because it both grounds and elevates the action. The animation technique used in the show is called Trioscope Enhanced Hybrid Animation, which was developed by show director Jonkajtys, a veteran visual-effects artist. The unique animation technique surely works in favour of the show.
By the end of the show, there is an emotional bit where Sparks bids goodbye to his men. Afterward, he visits the Army headquarters where he is charged with negligence of duty that led to the deaths of 17 unarmed German prisoners of war; and how his case is going to be reviewed and he will have an opportunity to present his testimony. The story ends with Sparks narrating (writing) a letter to his wife Mary, telling her how the war and the losses he faced during it, changed him completely and when he'll return to her, he might not be the same man she married.