Unbelievable Realism. Exceptional Accuracy.

Rating: Null/10 (9 August 2013)

Exhibiting relentless realism & exceptional accuracy on-screen, Downfall (also known as Der Untergang) recreates the events surrounding the final days of German dictator Adolf Hitler's life in the Führerbunker while also depicting the fall of the Third Reich & Berlin during World War II. The film is bookended by excerpts from the real-life Traudl Junge, Hitler's final secretary, and the plot itself is derived from her accounts.
The best thing about Downfall is that it keeps the human characteristics of the Führer intact & boldly defies the conventional portrayal of Hitler in media, which was controversial as expected but in my opinion is a brave, respectable & important attempt. What's even more surprising is that by taking this humane approach, the film is able to evoke sympathy & pity from its viewers for someone considered by many to be the most evil person to have ever lived.
Contrary to what one might expect, Downfall neither glorifies Adolf Hitler nor Nazism. In fact, it presents the Führer as a completely degraded, broken down & delusional shell of a human being trying to win an already lost cause. The film also exhibits just how profoundly deep rooted & blind was the faith & loyalty of Hitler's followers in him & his ideals as we see many committing suicide for they couldn't digest the idea of living in a world without National Socialism.
With great emphasis on showing the value of a human life, whether evil or not, the direction by Oliver Hierschbiegel is an absolute class. Screenplay is pure gem from start to finish. Production design has done a fabulous job here to perfectly recreate the 1940s atmosphere of war-torn Berlin. Cinematography captures every frame in meticulous detail. Editing makes sure every single scene is relevant to the film. And music often goes unnoticed here but it's an integral part of the film.
Coming to the performances, Bruno Ganz delivers one of decade's strongest & most haunting performances as Adolf Hitler and from mannerisms to fits of tirade, he gives us the most convincing & authentic portrayal of Führer in media, so far. Alexandra Maria Lara plays Traudl Junge with fine elegance while the rest of the casting is near-perfect too as each actor highly resembled their real-life characters & played them splendidly well. It's a film with powerful performances & every single one of them has delivered.
Extremely well researched, beautifully detailed, brutally accurate, insanely realistic & highly gripping from start to finish, Downfall tries to remove our assumption that only inhuman monsters are capable of doing terrible things & shows that how even the most charming men can manage to seduce a whole lot of into barbarism. A German film about the fall of Berlin that places Adolf Hitler in the central role? This isn't just a landmark moment for cinema but for Germany itself.
On an overall scale, Downfall is a profoundly moving motion picture & a significant masterpiece that would easily find its place amongst world cinema's greatest films & is arguably the best to come out from Germany. One of the most flawless works of 21st century in my opinion and a perfectly crafted historical account that needs to be shown in schools & universities around the world, this unique take on the most feared dictator of all time is a must watch for everyone. Extremely recommended.