solid storytelling, almost like a heist movie, minus emotional attachment

Rating: 7/10 (25 December 2008)

Bryan Singer's latest film, Valkyrie, is a step-up from what was a long 'slog' of a movie-going experience like Superman Returns. His direction here is more in line with the X-Men franchise, oddly enough for a movie about Nazi's scheming to kill Hitler. He has what amounts to a well-oiled machine via Christopher MacQuarrie's script, and his cast assembled is a gallery of who's who in British film (yes, British people playing Nazis, without German accents, as well as Tom Cruise with his Tom Cruise accent). If only one felt a stronger bond with some of these characters like Cruise and Bill Nighy and Kenneth Branaugh play, there might really be something special about what amounts to a great idea carried out to the extent of great failure.
If you haven't seen Tom Cruise's character, Col. Stauffenberg, explain it in one sentence in countless commercials and trailers, here's what the plot amounts to: a small group of completely fed-up Nazis plot to kill Hitler and implement operation Valkyrie which, in effect, will put the "right" Nazis back in power and end the war by negotiating an end to battle with the allies. This is the premise, and it is executed in a not so strange way much like the plot of a heist movie. We see the masterminds (Branaugh, Stamp, etc), bring in Stauffenberg to use his expertize and hatred of what's become with Germany as a means to pull off their plot. They also bring in some other possible 'friendlies' to their cause who will have various odd-job type tasks (i.e. Eddie Izzard's officer will make sure the phone lines are down from Hitler's operation station after the bomb goes off), and everything has to be planned and operated to the last T.
But, of course, as in a heist movie, we know that things wont turn out very well, or as well as anyone might like. Matter of fact, considering that instead of robbing a bank or jewels that it's taking out Hitler and his regime and implementing emergency procedures throughout Europe, it is what we expect it to be: a glorious try at something unattainable. What does make the movie fascinating is the execution of suspense as in any good conspiracy thriller (watching the tension during the first war-room meeting Hitler has with his men and as Stauffenberg awaits confirmation to set off the bomb is intense), and the striking quality of the performances. The actors all do good work- even Cruise who has the double burden of acting with one eye (or a crazy lazy/fake eye) most of the time- this in spite of or despite the fact that they're not given much in way of motivation aside from the obvious. I liked seeing the character of Stauffenberg go through the motions of executing the complex plot, but there's not much there for me to care about the human being.
This may not be the case for some, and if so all the better. This really is, to Singer's credit, one of those real WW2 movies with strong men played by terrific actors that... is not really great. In the right frame of mind it could, however, hit just the right spot. Valkyrie is slick, efficient storytelling.