Some movies serve as mere entertainment, while others offer an experience so profound, albeit harrowing, that they demand attention at least once in a lifetime.

One such film, currently garnering attention on Letterboxd, falls squarely into the latter category, confronting viewers with disturbing atrocities of the Second World War without flinching.

Originally released in 1985, this film has seen a resurgence in popularity, captivating new generations with its unflinching portrayal of historical horrors. That film is “Come and See,” set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Belarus and recounted through the eyes of a young teenager.

The title itself derives from a passage in the Book of Revelations: “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, ‘Come and see!’ And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”

Indeed, “Come and See” is a profoundly disturbing film that unflinchingly exposes the atrocities committed by the Nazis in Eastern Europe during World War II. Despite its unsettling nature, it has earned acclaim as one of the greatest cinematic achievements, though it’s certainly not for the faint of heart.

Recent audiences discovering this nearly four-decades-old masterpiece have lauded it with glowing reviews on Letterboxd. In 2022, the site declared “Come and See” as officially the highest-rated narrative feature film of all time.

The film’s most notorious sequence, described by Collider as “the most sickening 25-minute sequence from hell,” depicts the massacre of an entire village, with young Flyora (Aleksei Kravchenko) forced to bear witness to the unspeakable horrors.

Adapted from the novel “Khatyn” and the memoir “I Am from the Fiery Village,” which draw from the testimonies of numerous survivors of Nazi occupation, “Come and See” is hailed by viewers as a harrowing and surreal portrayal of war’s horrors.

Some describe it as “quite possibly the scariest and most disturbing film” they’ve ever seen, while others proclaim it to be both “the greatest war film ever made” and “the greatest anti-war film.”

In essence, “Come and See” stands as a testament to the power of cinema to confront humanity’s darkest moments with unflinching honesty and profound impact.