Valkyrie

Rating: 5/10 (1 August 2009)

From director Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X-Men, Superman Returns), this sounded like an interesting second world war story based on a true story. In Nazi Germany, they were slowly losing the war, and the Germans made quite a few plots to kill Adolf Hitler (David Bamber). This film focuses on one of the closest attempts to kill Hitler masterminded by Colonel Claus Von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise), with the help of fellow officers. These fellow officers included Major-General Henning Von Tresckow (Kenneth Branagh), General Friedrich Olbricht (Bill Nighy), General Friedrich Fromm (Tom Wilkinson), Ludwig Beck (Terence Stamp) and General Erich Fellgiebel (Eddie Izzard). The plan was to assassinate the Fuhrer in an explosion, and then initiate Operation Valkyrie, allowing Stauffenberg to seize control of Berlin. Of course Stauffenberg is convinced that the mission was successful and insists the operation is put in action, but of course they must have the Fuhrer's death confirmed. In the end, Stauffenberg and all the fellow officers that assisted in the assassination attempt were punished when Hitler was confirmed as still being alive. Also starring Carice Van Houten as Nina Von Stauffenberg, Thomas Kretschmann as Major Otto Ernst Remer, Kevin R. McNally as Dr. Carl Goerdeler, David Schofield as Erwin Von Witzleben, Tom Hollander as Colonel Heinz Brandt, Ian McNeice as Pompous General and Bernard Hill as Confident General - Desert. The story has its moments that grip you, and the performances are all well done, particularly Cruise who had been getting some harsh press, so it is certainly a war film to try. Worth watching!