Amazing film which Tom Cruise RUINED!

Rating: 5/10 (27 October 2012)

Well, to be honest he didn't ruin the movie, but Tom Cruise was horribly cast for this role and he and whoever selected him to have any part (let alone a main part) in this film is responsible for turning a 10 grade movie down to a 5 grade. Casting is everything. He seemed totally misplaced and wrong for the film. It's like choosing Cruise for Schindler's List instead of Liam Neason; he keeps it from being a serious historical movie. Cruise is great in many movies, but he has a strictly modern acting style and personality which is anachronistic in a WWII film like this and is distracting and incongruous. Everyone else (and I mean everyone) was beautifully cast for the film, skillfully selected, and most actors actually closely resembled the real people. Bravo. But Tom Cruise, while somewhat similar in face to the real Claus, just has zero 'command' or 'presence' in the film, especially for a leading role and a high rank of colonel. Plus he is too short, doesn't look German, and combine that with a kid-like face and teenage voice, and you just can't take this guy seriously for this role. And the grandchildren of the real Claus actually openly told Tom Cruise to turn down the role and told him to get out of Germany, because they felt he was a totally wrong selection for the role. To me, the right choice would have been Eric Bana (who did superbly in Munich and who has the height and face which closely resembles Claus) or James Marsden or many others who have more screen presence and who are less kid-like in appearance and voice. A real shame. Otherwise, a wonderfully directly and scripted movie and a cast of actors who are perfect!