Visceral, at times brutal, but brilliant Oscar worthy cinema...

Rating: 9/10 (26 August 2005)

Downfall is a film that is visceral in every capacity. An account of the last days of the Nazi scourge that cerebrally hammers at the spirit and soul in the most effective capacity. This is the best war oriented film since Saving Private Ryan. The performances are Oscar worthy, the screenplay is exceptional, and the direction perfect. The tone of the film itself is dark, respectful, and introspective, as it should be. Yet there is a glimmer of hope for the innocent; the young, old, and civilians evidenced beyond all of the dictator-esquire digressions to provide the production additional value. The production also makes a clear effort to be as historically accurate as possible. I highly encourage any fan of independent and / or intelligent cinema to watch this film. A strong 9 out of a possible 10!