Valkyrie

Year: 2008
Director: Bryan Singer
Cast: Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Wilkinson, Terence Stamp, Bill Nighy, Carice van Houten, Thomas Kretschmann, Eddie Izzard


This review has been long overdue, and quite frankly I don't know if I can give it a fair shot. I actually came close to dozing off while watching it last week, and not because it was so dull...well actually it was kinda dull, but I was also tired at the time. Anyway, here goes.

Valkyrie is THAT famous film Tom Cruise was trying to make in Germany that ran into a few snags because Germany wouldn't let someone who believes in Scientology film there. But he and Bryan Singer finally succeeded, and here we are. Set in Germany during World War II, it tells of the secret mission of a few good men amongst the Nazi to bring down Adolf Hitler.

Cruise plays Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a soldier disillusioned with the war and wishes to stop Hitler from continuing with his campaign. After being seriously wounded by the Allied attack in Tunisia, Stauffenberg is sent home. He's now without his left eye, right hand and a few fingers on the other hand.

Some men amongst the military are conspiring to assassinate Hitler, but their attempts are not successful. They seek new blood to organise a new plan, so they recruit Stauffenberg into their fold. Stauffenberg accepts, and begins to shape a plan, not just to kill Hitler but also to overthrow the Nazi and take over the government. He rewrites Oeration Valkyrie, a plan set by Hitler in event of his death, to suit their mission and even manages to get the Fuhrer to sign off on it. The plan is put into motion, the day is set. Do they succeed?

If you brush up on your history, then you already know the answer to that question. And therein lies the weakness of Valkyrie. You know how it ends. Despite Singer's attempts to create tension within the members of the resistance, it falls flat. It's just not enough. These men are seen bickering most of the time when they should be concerned about the consequences of their actions should they fail. Even Stauffenberg should be seen doing just that, but the focus on his relationship with his family is too short.

Performance wise, Cruise is just too dull to watch. He acts well, but there's really nothing to shout about his performance here. The British thespians, like Terence Stamp, Bill Nighy and Tom Wilkinson fare better though.

At the end, Valkyrie is just like Zodiac or maybe The Exorcism Of Emily Rose. It's a mere history lesson, that depends on the so-called amazing true story at its core to attract, but there is no real enthusiasm in its execution. If you are a history buff, you might like it. But I am a history buff too, and I expected more. (3/5)