Rated PG-13 for violence and brief strong language.
Directed by Bryan Singer (Superman Returns, X-Men, X-Men 2)
Starring Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh and Bill Nighy
Tension is the name of the game.
In Nazi Germany during World War II, as the tide turned in favor of The Allies, a cadre of senior German officers and politicians desperately plot to topple the Nazi regime before the nation is crushed in a near-inevitable defeat. To this end, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, (Tom Cruise) an Army officer convinced he must save Germany from Hitler, is recruited to mastermind a realistic plan. To do so, he arranges for the internal emergency measure, “Operation: Valkyrie,” to be changed to enable his fellows to seize control of Berlin after the assassination of the Fuhrer. However, even as the plan is put into action, a combination of bad luck and human failings conspire on their own to create a tragedy that would prolong the greater one gripping Europe.
Bryan Singer is one of my favorite and one of Hollywood’s most talented directors. With amazing films like The Usual Suspects, Superman Returns and the X-Men films, he has definitely made his mark. So I was curious how this talented director would handle an historic story like Operation: Valkyrie. Let’s just say, Singer can do it all. I watched the Plot to Kill Hitler on the History Channel and Valkyrie plays like a big-budget, well crafted reenactment.
I’m not a huge fan of Tom Cruise, but the man can act. And once again here he delivers a great performance, my problem was his very noticeable lack of a German accent. With Singer sticking so close to actual events, why skimp on the accents?
Tension builds throughout the film as they plan and eventually carry out the extremely dangerous operation, but it’s the film’s closing moments where things get real tense. Each man knows the cost of their actions and the risk to their lives and the lives of their families. Knowing that it all ends badly only adds to the tragedy.
Valkyrie is good, if not great. It has true heroes who have to wrestle with difficult decisions and their own consciences; who believe that we must stand up for what's right, no matter what the cost may be. With its faithful treatment to the historical text and it fast moving pace, the film is definitely worth seeing.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Yes, I believe these historic films are valuable for our teenagers, especially ones like Valkyrie that steer clear from sex, gore and gratuitous language.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
