Valkyrie (United Artists)
Better Than You Expect
When Tom Cruise decided to make a film about a historical plot to assassinate Adolph Hitler many were skeptical of its possibility of success, to say the least. Few thought audiences would want to sit through a movie when they knew the final outcome (Titanic anyone). Cruise went on with his plans for Valkyrie and now that the movie has arrived it is better than anyone suspected it would be.
The fascination lies with the performances, and the insight behind the plot to rid Germany of Hitler. Cruise plays Col. Stauffenberg, a wounded hero of World War II. In the first few scenes he loses an eye, a hand, and several fingers on the other hand. After these injuries Stauffenberg begins to work in earnest to get rid of Hitler. He has become horrified at his tactics and wants to show the world all Germans do not follow this mans ideologies.
One of his earliest allies is Major-General Tresckow (Kenneth Branaugh). This man has already attempted to kill Hitler but his plan failed. Now he is ready to try again. They are joined by General Olbricht (Bill Nighy) and Ludwig Beck (Terence Stamp) among others.
They try to recruit General Fromm (Tom Wilkinson) but he remains cool to their plan. He doesnt reveal their strategies but he doesnt endorse them either. The group headed by Stauffenberg has to work around him.
It is amazing how much suspense can be generated by a plot such as this even when you know it doesnt work. The suspense Director Bryan Singer creates is palpable and the audience is in the edge of their seats as the minutes tick down to the assassination attempt taking place.
Cruise is very good as the dedicated Colonel. He has the intensity necessary for the role, plus he has an on-screen presence that causes you to watch his every action and reaction. He does not attempt a German accent, but his clipped way of speaking is appropriate to the role.
The rest of the cast is uniformly good. Branaugh, Nighy, Wilkinson and Stamp create vivid characters who each play an integral role in the plotting. Carice van Houten plays Stauffenbergs wife Nina and though she is only on screen for a brief time she does make an impact.
The film is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.
Valkyrie is not a great movie but it is more entertaining than expected. Tom Cruise deserves praise for taking a story to which we already know the ending and making it suspenseful and dramatic.
I scored Valkyrie a murderous 6 out of 10.
