Gives the essence of the Fall of Berliin

Rating: 9/10 (9 May 2005)

This was obviously a difficult subject to tackle, but somehow they were able to give the overall essence of what Hitlers bunker and the surrounding rubble of Berlin was like in 1945. War pictures are not meant to be historical documents, as many would believe. The movie industry will never make historically accurate films. Historically based films should do their best to interpret text, photographs, footage; and then only attempt to paint a coherent picture of what happened. Details are important(i.e. whether a Waffen SS soldier was wearing the correct uniform) but what is more important is that the tone and overall feel of the film captures the moment.
Take a look at the jingoistic approach to American WW2 film making. The German soldier is essentially Satan. Which is not true. Each German soldier had motivations; Whether it was love of country, loyalty to the Nazi regime, or a family to protect or the taste of power. That is what we get from this film. Normal people trapped in their own machinations. The movie DAS BOOT for instance does the same thing. It doesn't attempt to bulk the German people into one category. Instead it attempt to show each individually. Downfall is another great German films that only a German could do properly.