Decent film, but does not do history justice

Rating: 5/10 (21 September 2010)

I might have enjoyed this film more if I hadn't previously read about the true history of the July 20, 1944 plot. The actual history of the plot is so compelling that the deviations from it were unnecessary. Many critics, such as Ebert, who give this film such great reviews seem to be commenting, not on the film, but on the history of the event itself, much of which was outside the scope of this two-hour movie. There were also some missed opportunities for major dramatic points, such as when Hitler himself comes on the phone to speak to Maj. Remer. This was the turning point in the plot and really should have been a major crisis point in the film, but it was glossed over. Up to that point the viewer is not certain of whether Hitler is alive or dead. Even those who know the historical outcome could still be held in a compelling suspense at the point when this fact is revealed. Showing Hitler's face during that conversation might have set this point home. As a viewer I was not made to recognize Hitler's voice over the phone, so I was relying on the faith of a minor character that the Fuehrer was, in fact, alive. Instead Hitler is never shown on screen for the remainder of the film. It might also have made a good dramatic point to make it clear that the movement of Staffenberg's briefcase to the far side of the table leg may have been Hitler's salvation. I am under the impression that the table at the Wolf's Lair was held up by sturdy oak supports or socles rather than the fairly flimsy supports shown in the film.
When I saw the trailers I had serious doubts about the choice of Cruise for the part of Col. Staffenberg. Let me say that I think of Cruise as a good actor and think that he often MAKES the films he stars in (imagine Risky Business or Top Gun without him). This said, although his performance was good, I can't say that he pulled off the stoic nature of a German officer that he was obviously trying for. His characteristic half-smile often came off as arrogant. Although in many movies with foreign settings, the use of accents indicating the nationalities of the characters gets a bit tedious, the differing accents did bother me. It sometimes seemed to me like Cruise was an American in the middle of an English plot to kill the German Fuehrer. On the up-side Bill Nighy did a standout performance as the spineless Gen. Olbrecht. Overall, the film did a good job at showing the vacillating character of nearly all the conspirators, which is what really brought the plot down.
The plot of July 20, 1944 is such a compelling subject that I'm sure Hollywood could do better. I hope that, at some point in the future, someone takes it on with an eye to the history of the event rather than the star power of the lead actor and does it justice.