Entertaining history-lesson

Rating: 8/10 (1 February 2009)

I'm not a big Tom Cruise fan. I think he has a tendency to play the same characters usually a bit too heroic. And don't get me started on Scientology. However putting all this aside, I actually enjoyed his latest movie. I am interested in history and I know most there is to know about WW II. So I knew about Von Stauffenberg and his attempt to kill Hitler. I also remember seeing a documentary some years ago about the fate of some of those accused of participating in the attempt. A pretty gruesome fate ( they were tortured and hung on meat-hooks after being humilitated by 'judge' Freisler.) This didn't happen to Von Stauffenberg, he was quickly executed along with some accomplices. So we know the attempt failed. Does that mean this is a dull movie? No! Actually you keep kinda hoping for a different ending. I didn't know that the conspirators actually tried to secure Berlin. The movie looks great and authentic. The actors are dependable and Cruise? Cruise is quite good really. He doesn't speak good German so I didn't mind that the movie was spoken English. Some questions do remain....like why had Fromm Von Stauffenberg and some accomplices so quickly executed against Hitler's orders? It cost him his own life eventually. Why did Olbricht wait to declare operation Valkyrie? Nevertheless this is an entertaining lesson in modern history.