The story of the spiralling destruction of the 3rd Reich superbly told

Rating: 10/10 (5 June 2005)

Parallel narratives of Hitler's Berlin and Hitler's life being squeezed by the approaching enemy are chillingly told in this well researched portrayal of his last days. Despair, bewilderment, incomprehensible fanaticism, grumbling agreement... the whole gamut of emotions as Hitler's entourage are faced with the inevitable reality of the demise of the 3rd Reich, their dream. Bruno Ganz is stunning as Adolf Hitler, Alexandra Maria Lara seemingly a little too bewildered too much of the time (though it may have been a very accurate portrayal) as his secretary, and Corinna Harfouch and Ulrich Matthes both decidedly scary as the fanatic heads of the Goebbels family. It is probably worthwhile to brush up on the famous names of German WWII before seeing this movie, as the variety of names became a little confusing for this WWII neophyte. Not since Das Boot have I seen a war movie of this intensity. 10/10