Movie Disappoints

Rating: 6/10 (26 August 2009)

I am sorry to say that this movie disappoints.
Now, the actual historical story has been done before on a documentary shown on the History Channel in the past. In fact, I have seen it more than once. So, the story is known and therefore being based on a true story the movie had a lot to prove.
For a few reasons it did not live up to its challenge.
First, while Tom Cruise is a well-known actor, his almost whispering delivery throughout the film made him come off as an actor with a monotone. There was little drama in his acting and it appeared that he was content and the director was content to allowing Mr. Cruise to simply look good in a German uniform and give glaring eye contact throughout most of the movie.
Second, with all the detail and expense of dressing almost the entire cast in German uniforms the general lighting scheme of the movie did little to enhance the costuming design. Very dim lit scenes inside rooms and offices was apparent and did not help the visual effect. Even in the era of the 1940s people had better lighting inside their homes and offices. The lighting did not have to have the "overall orange effect" with faces in "half-shadow." Why Hollywood people think this is a good effect is beyond me. It is boring when seen in the movie theater when the screen is so darkened and it makes one want to fall asleep watching such scenes!
Thirdly, having actors who pronounce their English words with British accents while pretending to be a German is laughable. To make such a film realistic requires (and with all respect to the fine acting staff, however) actors who are real Germans and can speak the English language yet retaining their German pronunciation of English words. This should have been a movie with all German actors and actresses who had English speaking lines.
Future movie makers should consider my suggestions and recommendations to really make a fine WWII motion picture.
Larry from Illinois