The Partisan (2024) Film Review

Directed by: James Marquand

Written by: James Marquand

Starring: Morgane Polanski, Frederick Schmidt, Agata Kulesza

Film Review by: Holly Baker

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Directed by James Marquand, this biographical spy-thriller is based on the true story of Krystyna Skarbek. Skarbek was a Polish-British intelligence agent during the Second World War. The Partisan (2024) tells the story of her conquest to fight back against Nazi Germany, as she intercepted Nazi soldiers and fought back against their occupation of Europe.

Retrospectively described by her peers as ‘the bravest of the brave’, Skarbek was sadly murdered by a stalker several years after the war ended. Despite her tragic death, James Marquand sought to keep her legacy alive with his feature film, detailing her personality and conquests in the most honourable light.

Skarbek is not only characterised as fearless, but also incredibly glamorous, which many of her colleagues also remember her as. Morgane Polanski’s performance as a strong minded woman who will achieve anything she puts her mind to is astounding. Polanski does not miss a beat, we see a range from her being her most vulnerable to her most bold as she takes on several personal and political challenges to achieve her goals.

The film’s pacing starts excellently, echoes of Schindler’s List are in the air as we see war-torn Poland shredded to pieces. The use of location shooting adds to the film's gruelling realism, as viewers are shot back in time to the horrifying world Skarbek, as well as millions, were constantly threatened by. Upsetting depictions of the senseless destruction of an innocent country are enhanced through the psychopathic characterisation of several of the soldiers, their crudeness and cruelty are especially disturbing as the film does not shy away from the extremities at play in how they would harm innocent civilians, both physically and psychologically.

Skarbek was forced to navigate the nuances involved with her vulnerability. Throughout her time as a spy, she knew exactly what side she was on, yet, she could not trust anyone. In a way, she herself is corrupted and often torn between her own values and that which she is working for. Polanski acts out Skarbek’s moral inconsistencies beautifully, allowing the complexities of Skarbek’s position to take the spotlight to present not only a hero, but a real-life human.

As the film goes on, its pacing starts to lose its grip. By honing in on several important moments in Skarbek’s life, the film’s continuity lacks a clear shape or build up and viewers may find themselves drifting away from what is occurring on screen. The film’s constant time shifting means that, unlike other notable films set during the holocaust such as Steven Spielberg’s Schindler's List and Jonathon Glazer’s The Zone Of Interest, there is little time for the viewer to ponder on the gravity of the events at play. The Partisan therefore lacks the depth these two other examples possess, as the tragedies of the war are never highlighted as the story moves quickly from moment to moment. The film’s genre of a spy thriller perhaps excuses this flaw, however, there are instances of heavy-handedness when the film seems to try and touch on a certain feeling of dismay that only World War Two elicits. For instance, a shot of numerous coffins being piled into a lorry, which are all clean and neatly piled is a depiction that feels tidy and censored - far away from the abysmal reality of what occurred, which perhaps no film can capture, though Schindler’s List and The Zone Of Interest certainly made much better attempts.

Overall, the film is an interesting delve into an important aspect of history which many may not be aware of until discovering this review and, perhaps, watching the film. Krystyna Skarbek comes across as iconic and refreshingly bold, impressively defying prejudices of the time and honourably acting against one of the most terrifying political forces in history. During her time as an agent, she also inspired the hiring of more women as intelligence agents, a notable accomplishment which most definitely contributed to the Nazis’ eventual defeat.

Though being let down on the minor aspect of its weak structure and pacing issues, as well as its poor attempt at capturing the horrors of the Second World War, The Partisan is without a doubt an important film for women’s history, an enjoyable spy thriller, as well as a detailed and compelling biography.

The Partisan arrives on digital 27 October 2025, followed by DVD release 15 December, courtesy of High Fliers Films.