Henning von Tresckow: We have to show the world that not all of us are like him. Otherwise, this will always be Hitler's Germany.

I for one was enlightened and impressed to see the dissention within the ranks of Hitler’s Germany. I must not have retained my world history very well because I did not recollect that there had been that many attempts on Hitler’s life during his reign. This movie is an excellent portrayal of one such attempt that was very, very close to being successful. We’re talking about a man that was like a god on Earth who lived and ruled amongst the German people and a pretty good amount of those German people were willing to sacrifice anything and everything to bring this man down. Hitler was powerful having taken major steps towards world domination. He was beyond highly respected and feared and yet he had to constantly look over his shoulder even while surrounded by his own people. From their point of view he was destroying Europe and Germany itself as well. Tom Cruise magnificently played the role of Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, the man in charge of this assassination attempt, and he says it best when he says “I'm a soldier, but in serving my country, I have betrayed my conscience.” But it takes a lot of moxie to go up against the Nazis and the Fuhrer and again he says it best when he says “Only God can judge us now.” Tom does a great job with this role but I wouldn’t call it his best work.

You will be gasping for air as you watch this film. It is tense, nerve raking, loud, startling, and powerful even though you already know the outcome. What takes this movie over the top is the fact that it is based on actual events. I love well made historical movies because all the while you can remind yourself that, hey, this actually happened. It makes it that much more moving. So I enjoyed the story and the way it was laid out was very well paced. The script was just as tense and sharp as the story and meaningful. There was very little to no fluff. The cinematography was masterful with beautiful locations, crisp camera angles, and mood setting shots. Every time Hitler appeared in a scene, the entire mood of that scene changed as well. Everything got quiet and cautious which added to the effect of being in the presence of this larger than life persona. Speaking of personas, what a cast. Hollywood has really gone all out on casting in the last few years and casting directors have answered the call. Along with Mr. Cruise you’ve got Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Thomas Kretschmann, Terence Stamp, Eddie Izzard, Kevin McNally, and the list goes on and on. (If you don’t recognize some of the names, if you look them up you will know who they are, trust me). The performance of the entire cast was right on for this production. It really was a pleasure to watch. Even Priscilla who has specific interests in the Hitler, Nazi, and Holocaust time period really enjoyed the film. Remember she left quite upset from the Boy in the Striped Pajamas picture. Not that it was a bad movie, just that the ending is disturbing. There is a good amount of Nazi Germany related movies being released lately and they all seem to be of very good quality. This is no exception, also due to the fabulous job by Director/Producer Bryan Singer. Bryan Singer? Eh, I’m not surprised. Remember the Usual Suspects? He can do a lot more than just superhero movies. There are plenty of movies to choose from this Christmas and picking this one is not a bad decision.

Wishing you all very Happy Holidays, Merry CHRISTmas and a great New Year!

Review By Cine Marcos 
cinemarcos@smartcine.com

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