Valkyrie suffers from a weak first act, but develops into a tense and ultimately affecting account of a plot to assassinate Hitler in 1944.
Getting over the first part is a struggle. The start is bitty, the accents distracting. The actors play Germans but keep their own accents, and if anything the Brits come out of it worse. Seasoned players such as Bill Nighy and Kenneth Branagh never lose their jarring Englishness, while the film covers large amounts of planning and strategy and is therefore heavy on dialogue. At times ‘Valkyrie’ seems reminiscent of the lengthy, wordy, ensemble cast war/espionage films of the 1960s – ‘A Bridge Too Far’ etc – perhaps explaining the casting of so many British stars. However being talented, British and a cinematic stalwart does not mean director, writer and editor can just leave you to it!
Luckily, when the central assassination plot lead by von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) gets underway, the film begins to warm up. The tension rises and the action gains much- needed forward momentum. Accent aside, Tom Cruise is really very good in his role, carrying the film with a passionate, sympathetic performance. Christian Berkel shines among the supporting cast, matching Cruise’s energy and presence. The cinematography and art direction are also beautifully realised.
An obvious omission is a strong sense of historical context. Attempting to avoid lengthy explanations (in a fictionalised account of true events), von Stauffenberg’s hatred of Hitler is explained in three neat lines at the start. However, failing to give a proper portrait of life in Hitler’s Germany makes it harder to identify with the protagonists. It is only at the end that the regime’s cruelty is shown and we are reminded that by escaping to die in his bunker when he chose, Hitler got off lightly.
Valkyrie is tense and moving but hampered by its opening. Worth seeing, but it could have been better.
Getting over the first part is a struggle. The start is bitty, the accents distracting. The actors play Germans but keep their own accents, and if anything the Brits come out of it worse. Seasoned players such as Bill Nighy and Kenneth Branagh never lose their jarring Englishness, while the film covers large amounts of planning and strategy and is therefore heavy on dialogue. At times ‘Valkyrie’ seems reminiscent of the lengthy, wordy, ensemble cast war/espionage films of the 1960s – ‘A Bridge Too Far’ etc – perhaps explaining the casting of so many British stars. However being talented, British and a cinematic stalwart does not mean director, writer and editor can just leave you to it!
Luckily, when the central assassination plot lead by von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) gets underway, the film begins to warm up. The tension rises and the action gains much- needed forward momentum. Accent aside, Tom Cruise is really very good in his role, carrying the film with a passionate, sympathetic performance. Christian Berkel shines among the supporting cast, matching Cruise’s energy and presence. The cinematography and art direction are also beautifully realised.
An obvious omission is a strong sense of historical context. Attempting to avoid lengthy explanations (in a fictionalised account of true events), von Stauffenberg’s hatred of Hitler is explained in three neat lines at the start. However, failing to give a proper portrait of life in Hitler’s Germany makes it harder to identify with the protagonists. It is only at the end that the regime’s cruelty is shown and we are reminded that by escaping to die in his bunker when he chose, Hitler got off lightly.
Valkyrie is tense and moving but hampered by its opening. Worth seeing, but it could have been better.