Valkyrie (2008)

Not all Germans supported that madman

RELEASED IN 2008 and directed by Bryan Singer, "Valkyrie" is a World War II crime thriller based on the true story of the last German plot to assassinate Hitler in the Summer of 1944, although it wasn't a crime, of course, but rather an act of heroism.

Tom Cruise resembles the protagonist, Colonel Claus Von Stauffenberg, but he lacks his height. Despite this, Cruise is solid in the role and the story works up some quality suspense. Even though we know the plot will fail, you can't help but root for the dissenters' success. Almost 5000 Germans were subsequently executed on grounds of treason for the failed attempt, although not all of them were connected to this specific conspiracy.

The film is both entertaining and educational. It shows that there were thousands of Germans who were willing to risk all to get that lunatic out of office. And they almost succeeded. "Valkyrie" is reminiscent of 1976's "The Eagle has Landed" in some ways so, if you liked that one, you'll probably appreciate "Valkyrie." I like the '76 film a little better.

THE MOVIE RUNS 2 hours, 1 minute and was shot in Germany, Czech Republic and California. WRITERS: Christopher McQuarrie & Nathan Alexander.

GRADE: B

Tom Cruise sports an eye-patch as he takes on the role of Nazi war hero Claus von Stauffenberg. Badly injured he returns to Germany where he is quickly appointed to staff rank with regular access to an appreciative Führer (David Bamber). His arrival co-insides with the increasingly stark realisation from many politicians and officers alike that their hopes of winning the war were dwindling and that something is going to have to be done about removing their neurotic Chancellor and instituting a new national order that might be able to negotiate some sort of peace. Of course, some of the High Command were still fiercely loyal so it was a bit of an eggshell treading operation for von Stauffenberg and his allies as they are not sure whom to trust whilst they put a daring plan into action that could result in a coup treasonable in anyone’s book if they fail. Relying on a fair-to-middling selection of mainly British actors, Bryan Singer does ok with his star here, but the film does really lack jeopardy as it rather trundles out of the traps and gurgles it’s way along before finally enlivening for the last twenty minutes or so. Cruise’s legendary charisma deserts him here and frankly, he hasn’t really the gravitas to carry this off convincingly - and that goes for Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson and (fleetingly) Kenneth Branagh too as this whole production struggles to really capture the complexities and dangers faced by these conspirators - the braver ones and the skin-savers. The actual intricacies of their “Valkyrie” operation itself are superficially glossed over and, given we all know what really happened, the film offers us little compelling to get our teeth into. Disappointing, I’d say. Sorry.