Film Review--Valkyrie

Valkyre
directed by Brian Singer
written by Christopher McQuarrie, Nathan Alexander
starring Tom Cruise, Tom Wilkinson, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Terence Stamp, Carice van Houten, Thomas Kretschmann, Eddie Izzard, Kevin McNally, David Bamber

Much more that Tom Cruise with an eyepatch and a bunch of snobby British actors, this film explores a relevant topic that keeps a great number of people up at night. It exposes a period in history that few are familiar with. It is very much a David and Goliath story pitting a group of disgruntled officers in the German army against the almighty Nazi power structure. It’s a film that uses courage as a launching point to tell this particular story at this particular time.

Based on actual events, this film relates the story of the 20 July, 1944 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler (Bamber) by German officers during WWII.

In this telling, the central figure in the plot is a man named Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) who early on is injured in Tunisia, North Africa leaving him without a left eye, right hand, or two fingers on his left hand. Upon recovering he is recruited into the resistance and soon becomes an integral part of the operation to bring Hitler down.

The film opens with an attempt perpetrated by Major General Henning von Tresckow (Branaugh) to set a bomb on Hitler’s plane. The plan is to conceal a bomb inside a box allegedly containing brandy and have it delivered to someone on the plane. When it failed to detonate von Tresckow is forced to retrieve it himself. This is designed to show that the there were other less famous efforts to remove the Fuehrer from office. The plots were numerous and numbered in the dozens although the film states that there were only 15. Indeed, Hitler was a target from the very beginning and this film seeks to composite all of the efforts into one singular event with potentially catastrophic consequences for the Nazi regime.

General Friedrich Olbricht (Nighy) seems to be slightly unsure about the efficacy of the plot. It’s all in Nighy’s eyes as Olbricht issues the order to mobilize the Reserve Army and later when he refuses to do the same thing during the initial phases of Operation Valkyrie. He comes off as begrudgingly allegiant to protocol when all the dust settles and everything is on the line. This can also be attributed to his pragmatism and a clearer view of the dangers facing the plotters if any one aspect of the plot fails to be properly administered. He’s motivated to put an end to the Nazi regime but wants to make certain the mission is properly handled. In the end it doesn’t much matter but it is at least interesting to consider what might have happened had the army been mobilized earlier.

There is a tremendous energy in this film and it seems to get most of the historical data accurate. There is a definite sense of authenticity to the film as it is obvious much research has gone in to making things as true to life as possible. It’s a sweeping drama filled with moments of grave concern as von Stauffenberg becomes more embroiled in the great plot. Indeed, once the plot is put into play and the bomb goes off, the film becomes terribly tense as the instigators scramble to ensure they are able to take over the key aspects of the Nazi war machine and change the central government.

This is the most grounded Hitler in any of the cinematic treatments of the event. Still, he’s enigmatic and distant but of all the previous versions he’s the most in control of how his policies are being put forth.

There is a sense of fatalism that hangs over every frame of this film. Knowing the ending it is impossible not to feel considerable distress as the film moves closer to its terrifying ending. It would be interesting to go back and not have studied the plot so the ending might come as something of a shock. In pure cinematic terms it’s often best not to know anything about the story before you go in. Otherwise expectations can ruin the experience and you are left with nothing but a disgruntled disposition. In this case, I knew von Stauffenberg’s fate and such knowledge informed my viewing rather considerably.

The film spends quite a bit of time centrally focused on the plot itself and everything that lead up to it. It shows the failed attempt on 15 July at Wolf’s Lair when Himmler was not present at the meeting and subsequently von Stauffenberg did not attempt to activate the bomb in his briefcase. He is left to reconfigure his plans and the date is set for 20 July. The agony of the operation is succinctly felt as the further plans are laid out and the direction of the operation is firmly held.
Each step is portrayed as critical and necessary to complete the secret directive at hand. Each participant in the plot does their part to ensure a successful ending to their intended outcome.

Tom Cruise is certainly filmed like the hero he is intended to be. The camera lovingly scans his face to ensure that the audience remember this is indeed still a Tom Cruise film. He is never quite able to slip away into the role and it’s a detriment to the film. He will always be Tom Cruise playing himself in any film he dares to commit to. He did manage to become lost in “Tropic Thunder” but that’s only because he was wearing make up and a fat suit. Otherwise, he is trapped in his persona and cannot escape it. Still, it’s really not that important because this is not about von Stauffenberg as much as it is about the Resistance movement and how vitally important it has become as a method in which to assuage the collective national guilt in Germany for the horrors of the second world war.

The film wants the audience to root for the plotters because it is considered a universal truth that they were on the right side of justice. The film mostly achieves this aim although to its credit it doesn’t go out of its way to demonize the Nazis. They are merely presented as a political structure sans their social and spiritual components. They are portrayed as part of machine and simply taking their orders and administer them as instructed. Still, they are not exactly lionized either. This is not the glamorous Nazi of “Night of the Generals” or the scintillatingly sexy Nazi of “Miracle at St. Anna”. They are merely cogs in a giant wheel and their individuality is never fully examined. On the other hand, the Officer’s corp. and certain army leaders such as Major Otto Ernst Remer (Kretschmann) who is portrayed as a military man with something resembling a conscience, are depicted as more humane and morally sound.

It is clear that this film is pushing a specific agenda although it doesn’t necessarily get in the way of the story. These are vital characters performing deeds that they know very well could cost them their lives yet they push on. They are motivated by something much greater than their fear of discovery and possible annihilation. It’s a timeless, if not slightly hackneyed tale of conscience over captivity and imminent death.


The performances in this film all do justice to the tenaciously tremoring narrative. Tom Cruise may not quite lose himself in this role but he still manages to convey von Stauffenberg’s drive and dedication to his mission. He’s ultimately believable after a fashion and his character demonstrates a clearly defined directive that is never abandoned. Tom Wilkinson is captivating as Fromm, an indecisive military leader whose sole intent is to come down on the side that is right. Wilkinson demonstrates his character’s authority and steadfastness. Fromm in this version is not struggling with his conscience. He merely wants to protect his status and not get his hands dirty. Bill Nighy captures his character’s strength of intent and his careful approach to the severity of the plot; Olbricht represents the years of toil that have gone into facilitating this one brilliant moment and he doesn’t want it to slip through their fingers.

Overall, this film is motivated by a specific point of view that never comes out of focus. It wants to touch its audience and make them aware of specific historical moments when certain individuals put their lives on the line in order to bring about a drastic change in the order of things as they stood during the waning moments of WW2. The characters are all well developed and their motivations are for the most part decidedly clear. One is left with the impression that this film needs to express its position in as undiluted a manner as possible. There is terrible longing in this film and it possesses every moment on screen. The film is exquisitely photographed from start to finish and the lighting creates an occasionally haunting quality which accentuates the overall style of the film. Ultimately, this is a fine introduction to the very true story that deserves to be further investigated by those in the audience compelled by fiction to take a stab at the actual past and come to their own conclusions.