Decent suspense thriller

Rating: 8/10 (28 January 2009)

Let's get the criticism out of the way first. Valkyrie thinks it is an important film. It isn't.
It is, however, a more than effective suspense thriller using an actual event from WWII as its plot, whereby Tom Cruise and half the cast of Pirates Of The Caribbean try (and fail) to blow up Hitler. Its effectiveness is all the more remarkable given that the audience knows from the outset that the plot failed.
The level of tension is sustained throughout, and towards the end you find yourself half hoping that it will turn out that the plotters succeed - the suspense is that effective.
The cast of mostly British stalwarts are all excellent, including both the unexpected (Eddie Izzard doing a good turn as a reluctant conspirator) and the blink-and-you'll- miss-'em (Bernard Hill as an officer blown up in the first five minutes). It was very pleasing to see the delectable Carice van Houten in a mainstream movie.
But this is Cruise's movie, and he shows again how well he holds the screen. This is a decent performance - not award winning, but solid.
The movie held my attention throughout and I left feeling solidly entertained.