VALKYRIE: REVIEW
What
is being commonly referred to as 'that Tom Cruise film where he plays a Nazi',
is actually a riveting historic military drama that inturn masquerades as a political
pot-boiler. A release date that has been in limbo for close to a year by the studio
that made the film usually means that they have a bad movie on their hands - fortunately,
that is not the case.
Cruise plays a high ranking officer
in Hitler's regime, Colonel Claus Von Stauffenberg. Earlier while fighting on
an African battlefield, he is physically and emotionally wounded. He is then sent
to work within an inner circle of the Nazi party but is immediately approached
by a band of dissenters planning a coup to dethrone Adolf Hitler. Their mission,
Operation Valkyrie would become an order that would halt Hitler's reserve forces
if allied troops infiltrate Germany.
Stauffenberg is proud
of his status. However, patriotism puts him at odds with Hitler's inhumane practices
so he doesn't need much convincing to join the renegade officers. As the sneaking
around continues, more and more band together to carry out the mission. Frustrations
are felt by German loyalists carrying out the orders of their delusional leader.
It is becoming obvious, insanity prevails and something must be done.
His
European accent may falter, however, an eye patch wearing Cruise is intense, shows
wit and charisma as the Valkyrie ringleader. He embodies the character of Stauffenberg,
he may not be Oscar nominated but who said he couldn't act.
Tom
Wilkinson is particularly assertive as a paranoid Nazi superior who could easily
assist the takeover plan he if so wished but would never speak out against the
almighty Fuhrer. Support from other British thespians Kenneth Branagh, Terrence
Stamp and Bill Nighy add accuracy to the finger pointing confrontations.
Based
on fact, the July 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler is not just a World War 2 history
lesson. Director Bryan Singer stages the gritty war zones with solidarity. Valkyrie
does begin at a snails pace, the dull start takes time to set up the characters
and lay the foundation of the Germans who opposed Hitler and wanted to tell the
world 'we are NOT all like him'!
The authenticity of the uniforms
is immaculate while the genuine tanks in the battle scenes bring a Dirty Dozen
feel to the picture.
Shane A. Bassett
