AMB Reviews

Valkyrie: 8.5/10 Stars

Release Date: December 25, 2008

Content Advisory: Rated PG-13 for violence and brief strong language. One f-word. A man loses an eye and several fingers during battle, though it is all relatively bloodless. One large explosion and lots of gunfire during battles.

Review:

I first became interested in Valkyrie, after seeing the trailer several times. I was immediately intrigued at the plot. Knowing that it was based on a true story, I wondered how the final result would be, as this film revolves around a plot to kill Hitler. Knowing fully well that Hitler was not assassinated, and that he committed suicide, one can only wonder how this film turns out. 

In Short:

If you have seen the promo ad for this movie, you probably know that it is about one large conspiracy involving an attempt to assassinate Hitler. Even though Tom Cruise has been receiving horrible reviews on his acting (and his eyepatch), I didn't find any problem with his acting, and found Bill Nighy another decent addition to the cast as a co-star. The plot was intriguing and the visuals were quite impressive as well. Overall, despite what you might be hearing about Tom Cruise's acting... don't believe them. No matter how well you like Tom Cruise, Valkyrie is a historical film that feels nothing like one. It's exciting and suspenseful, and hey... you might even learn something after viewing this film! You never know.

In Full:

Valkyrie is a true story, based on a group of rebellious Nazi soldiers who came up with a plan to try and kill Hitler and stop his dictatorship. Tom Cruise leads the cast as Officer Claus von Stauffenberg, who organizes the main plan. It revolves around a operation named Valkyrie, which, though was supposed to be used in Hitler's aid, was secretly re-written and used against him. Now, Stauffenberg and his allies will only have to place a bomb in Hitler's meeting room, escape the premises and take over Berlin, where a new chancellor will be granted power. Sound exciting? It is. And suspsenful as well. I won't go into major details, as I don't want to spoil the ending, but Valkyrie is enjoyable, at the least.

Although Tom Cruise has been getting horrendous reviews on his acting, I personally don't see where that is coming from. Though he could've shown a tad more emotion on his face and in his voice... I believe that he portrayed Claus von Stauffenberg rather nicely. His work was not Oscar Worthy, but it was most certainly decent. And do me a favor the next time you hear someone rag on Cruise for his eyepatch: punch them in the face. Whoever says that doesn't know anything, as wearing the eyepatch was crucial to the plot and crucial to history.Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and Nina van Houten rounded off the cast with nice acting as well. 

This being a WWII movie, you can expect some nice visuals thrown in as well. Though I wouldn't consider this film "action-packed," there's enough to get by to satisfy most of the die-hard action fans out there. With the explosions and the gunfire, it all made out to be a pretty impressive film, visual-wise as well. Of course, there is much talk and planning in the film, more so even than actual action, but when that action does come, it comes with a bang.  

The only complaint I might have, is that the plot is somewhat slow, and there ends up being more talking and planning than actual action. This could be looked at as a pro for some, yet a con for others. A lot of the movie is spent dealing with the rebels laying out their plan and how they were actually going to kill Hitler. Then, after their first failed attempt, the real pace begins to pick up and the suspense takes off. Of course, having a slow start just makes the final climax all that more exciting. Those going to this film, looking for pure, exciting, brainless action will be disappointed. This movie is talky, yet still suspenseful and exciting. Without punching us in the face, it encourages us to always stand up for what we believe in and to always do what's right, even in the face of evil, no matter what the cost. It's powerful and thought-provoking.

Overall, Valkyrie is most definitely worth it. I didn't really know what to expect while viewing this film. After all... I had known that Hitler had killed himself in the end. I knew that he was not assassinated. Knowing that, I could only wonder how everything would be resolved. Some may find the ending discomforting and pointless, though I personally loved it. Though tragic, I loved how not one rebel was ready to give in at any time. Throughout the film's running time, we learn that even though it may cost you your life, it's always best to do the right thing even in the midst of wrong doing. It's more than just a typical war movie (with half of the violence, as well) that's powerful, engaging, suspenseful, and thought-provoking. To me, that spells: W-I-N-N-E-R.