Valkyrie (2008)
By Shane Rivers
On July 20th, 1944, an assassination attempt was made on the life of Adolph Hitler. Had he been killed, the plan was to institute Operation Valkyrie–originally designed to counter a breakdown in the nation’s civil order–take control of Germany’s government, and negotiate a peace with the Allied forces. The plan failed by the most narrow of margins, resulting in the arrest of thousands and the execution of hundreds. It would be the last of over 20 attempts on the Nazi leader’s life, as Hitler would die by his own hand less than a year later.
One of the key members of the conspiracy was Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise), a German aristocrat who believed peace must be made with the Allies to prevent a Russian invasion of his homeland. Other leading members included: Major General Henning von Tresckow (Kenneth Branagh), who the Gestapo described as the “prime mover” of the plot to kill Hitler; General Friedrich Olbricht (Bill Nighy); Colonel General Ludwig Beck (Terence Stamp); and Colonel General Friedrich Fromm (Tom Wilkinson), a treacherous opportunist.
Directed by Bryan Singer, Valkyrie focuses on von Stauffenberg and shows how he came to be a member of the conspiracy. I should probably also note that he lost his left eye, right hand, and three fingers on his left hand during service in North Africa. Showing Cruise without a right hand is accomplished with CGI effects, and it certainly adds authenticity to the character; it does not, however, balance out the fact that Cruise is the only character in the film to use an American accent. While Valkyrie wouldn’t have made one penny more if Cruise had chosen to adopt a British of German accent, it would’ve at least indicated a greater commitment as an actor. As it is, the first few lines of the film are spoken by Cruise in German, with a quick transition being made to the voice which carried us through such non-historical dramas as Cocktail and Top Gun.
Cruise does bear a striking resemblance to his character, especially in profile. This was reportedly one of the reasons why the actor first became interested in the project. He’s not the only one, either: Terence Stamp and Bill Nighy could also pass for their characters in dimly-lit conditions.
Since it involves a plot to kill one of history’s most dangerous tyrants, you know that Valkyrie is going to be jam-packed with moments of tension and uncertainty. It’s also obvious that matters are eventually going to take a turn for the worse, but Singer does an adequate job of maintaining interest in spite of this. Still, anyone with even a basic knowledge of history knows the plot must have failed, and this does occasionally rob the movie on a certain level.
When I first watched Valkyrie, I was somewhat put off by the understated manner in which the principal characters discussed the conspiracy. I was expecting lots of big “acting” moments filled with rants about Hitler’s evil. Instead, I got a group of men methodically risking their lives to save their country from further ruination. It’s appropriate when you think about it, as the conspirators were career military men accustomed to honor and discipline; behaving like a bunch of actors wouldn’t have been at all appropriate.
While Valkyrie doesn’t accomplish everything it sets out to, it does inform the masses that not everyone in WWII Germany was satisfied with Hitler’s rule. Given that most people are woefully ignorant when it comes to history–and I sadly place myself in this category–that’s more than enough reason to give it a recommendation.
This Valkyrie movie review is copyright 2009 Small World Marketing and Shane Rivers. This Valkyrie review should not be reprinted without the permission of the copyright holders.
This movie review of Valkyrie expresses the opinion of the author only. Other Valkyrie movie reviews are available online, and some of those might or might not express different opinions on the movie. Like those other Valkyrie movie reivews, this Valkyrie review is intended for the entertainment and education of the reader. This Valkyrie movie review is provided as is with no warranty or guarantee implied.
