And thank heavens for it!

Rating: 10/10 (20 May 2005)

This was undoubtedly one of the best films I have seen in a long while, and it strangely wasn't made in Australia. (that is sarcasm, for those unable to detect it). Bruno Ganz has produced the ultimate portrayal of the paper hanger, and makes all other portrayals to date look like cartoon characters. That said, No, it doesn't make me sympathetic to Hitler. Yes, it shows him with human foibles, and not simply as the monster he is usually shown as (simply because its safer to do so). That he was evil is without question, and Downfall does nothing to try and persuade you otherwise. It makes the statement that this happened, and can happen again because of human gullibility, stupidity and pigheadedness. One only has to look at a certain fellow in the US at the moment! The rest of the cast is superb, so good in fact that I would not be surprised to find that many of them would be unable to get regular work because of it, finding that like Andy Robinson of Dirty Harry fame, that they have been type cast for being too good. The cinematography is flawless, the action (more hinted at than shown, as it deals more with the bunker than the war itself) is scary, and I can only thank my parents that I was born when and where I was, as being involved in this mess...well you get the idea.