The last days of the "führer" and the Third Reich

Rating: 10/10 (24 September 2004)

Astonishingly accurate and very authentic, the movie delivers an insight view into the "führer" bunker that many would have thought to be impossible to shoot. I think everybody agrees that all of the actors, especially Bruno Ganz (Hitler), did an outstanding job, confusing the audience whether they are watching a documentary with real footage or a movie. A huge controversy goes on with the question whether some scenes depict Hitler as being too handsome and human or not - I would say that the intention of the director and his movie are pretty clear on this subject: Hitler, though a mass murderer and the personalized evil, was a human being. Ergo, one has to show every side of his character. While focusing its attention mainly on the clearly dominating destructive side of the führer, the movie doesn't neglect the other, calmer side of him that seduced many people as well as his historic speeches did.