gripping wartime drama

Rating: 7/10 (4 January 2009)

Without question, this is a well made movie, and the story is told in a compelling, engaging way even though we all know it's going to turn out badly for our hero. The costumes, props, everything is superbly well turned out.
The characters involved in the plot are also interesting, each with their own internal conflicts. The interplay between political and military thinking is fascinating to watch. I had never before considered "so what happens after Hitler is dead?" which took up the greater part of the planning and scheming and plotting (and also gave the movie its title, from operation "Walkure").
Cruise does well, but his supporting cast is outstanding, including numerous ex-Pirates: Gibbs, Beckett, Mercer, even Davy Jones all show up. They looked a lot more colorful in pirate garb than in Nazi gray and green, though.
Still, while the movie does provide an excellent education in the assassination plot and the situation in Germany in mid-1944, it leaves us with little to hold on to. The key men all were martyred and paid with their lives, yet as the movie presents things, they accomplished next to nothing. Somewhere else I read that as a result of this plot, Hitler became even more reclusive and distrustful of his inner circle, which led to him taking less advice from capable generals and making more military mistakes. So ultimately this point could have been made somehow, but it wasn't.
Worth seeing by all means, but no big loss by waiting for the DVD rental.