Downfall- The most comprehensive study of Hitlers final days

Rating: 9/10 (20 June 2012)

Whatever your opinion is of this movie, nobody can deny to create a film with Adolf Hitler the protagonist is a largely transgressive concept. With such a brave approach comes the degree of fictitiousness involved with the films narrative. Since very little is known of the events to occur within Hitlers bunker director Oliver Hirschbiegel has the task of piecing together what little is known with his own vision of Hitlers final days.
To start the film offers an array of impressive performances; Bruno Ganz's erratic Hitler perfectly transcends the mere perceptions a perspective audience has when watching the film. He really is awesome. And in honesty he has to be; the basis for the films credibility lay solely on Ganz's performance, but thankfully he delivers to thundering applause. Taboo it may seem humanising somebody whose actions are distinctively 'inhuman', it's still the most accurate portrayal to date; Robert Carlyles overzealous effort, decent but not believable due to farcical overacting.
For the supporting cast Traudl Junge, the secretary to Hitler is indeed portrayed inaccurately as a more virtuous, innocent and sweet young girl which sparks criticism from among those educated toward Nazi Germany. However the important motif of innocence is resonant throughout the entire film; children are left to defend Berlin (ignorent to the knowledge they haven't a chance of survival), and the innocents of Germany ultimately are left to face the consequences of the previous generations wrongdoings, while the real perpetrators cop out through suicide and hiding. Though the anti semitism of German society and atrocities perpetrated by the Germans during the war aren't as comprehensively addressed as say Schindler's List its important to address this film for what it is; the story of Hitler and national socialism's final days.
Well documented is propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels' murder of their children inside Hitler's bunker and this is one of the more uncomfortable scenes of the film, reinforcing the theme of the innocents paying the price. Goebbels and his wife's suicides bear resonance to the status quo sentiment felt by all Germans at this dreadful period; there is no life beyond national socialism.
To categorise this film into a genre is a tough task but i'd call it a drama more than anything with action sequences sparsely present. Sounds good on paper right? Well i'll try to place a balanced viewpoint in reviewing this film so lets address the reasons perhaps the film may be limited or perhaps just not for you.
1. To somebody perhaps not a keen enthusiast of History the lengthy scenes and claustrophobic feel of the film (with very few settings) this film may feel a bit of a drag at times. You may however find learning a little is beneficial.
2. To somebody overly educated in Nazi Germany the few historical inaccuracies may just be too much to overlook.
3. As my brother put it upon entering my bedroom and witnessing me watching Downfall, "Why are you watching that for, its not in English". An extremely fickle criticism in my eyes but subtitles aren't for everybody.
Overall despite this hugely pessimistic outlook on a topic widely controversial, anybody even remotely into films should watch this. Even if you're not a WW2 buff or dislike drama, this film's narrative is largely unrivalled in content, making it by and large a unique film i would recommend to anybody. 8/9-10.