Review of Downfall (1997) by Nate W — 16 May 2010
One might wince at the challenge of painting Adolf Hitler in an objective light, and that's more or less what "Downfall" accomplishes. It does lean towards the history's-greatest-monster side of the argument, making no attempt to hide Hitler's pride of his calculated genocide of the Jews, but what the film does achieve is a portrayal of the man as tragically human, at times a pathetic one.
He spends his last days as a desperate, stubborn, paranoid man, confined to his tiny bunker, trying in vain to win a doomed war by barking absurd orders and crying "treason!" at anyone who dares exercise their better judgment.
Just as monstrous as him are the yes-men and women with whom he has surrounded himself, blindly following his imaginary vision for an Aryan utopia. Bruno Ganz gives an astonishing embodiment Hitler, right down to the tiniest mannerism.
The crumbling edifice of Berlin is immaculately recreated as Russian artillery shells tear through the city.
This review of Downfall (1997) was written by Nate W on 16 May 2010.
Downfall has generally received very positive reviews.
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