Thinking

Reviewed by: L Jones

Valkyrie (2008) is a historical thriller film that was made by United Artist. It recently released in 2009 after nearly a year of push backs. The movie takes place in Nazi Germany during World War II. It tells the little known story of the July 20, 1944 conspiracy by German army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler. The United Artists film was directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie. Tom Cruise portrays Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, one of the key plotters of the assassination. Bill Nighy, Eddie Izzard, Terence Stamp and Tom Wilkinson also feature.

WHAT I THINK:

Hello Fellow Thinkers. When I watch a movie, there are a few things that I look for. One thing I expect is a strong story line. Valkyrie is a true story based on the attempts of German officer Colonel Stauffenberg and others to assassinate Adolf Hitler. This movie showed me a side of history that I never knew existed. I didn’t think there were individuals in the German army that opposed Hitler’s leadership or questioned his actions. Valkyrie shows the horrible events that transpired during the dark period of Germany’s history in a different light. It shows the human and moral side of the German army that I did not know existed. It is definitely a story worth knowing.

Another thing I look for in a movie is believable characters. Tom Cruise delivers another magnificent performance. When I watch a movie, I don’t want to see the actor; I want to see the character. It is sometimes difficult to relate to the character, because the star shines too brightly. I never saw Tom Cruise after the initial scene. I was totally engrossed in the character.

One knock that I had with the movie was its slow development of the plot. There was enough suspense in the movie and that’s fascinating, considering we all knew how it would end.

I highly recommend Valkyrie on the merits of the strong story line, believable characters and it’s the little known history lesson that it teaches.