Review of Downfall (2004) by Jeffrey B — 08 Mar 2014

Oliver Hirschbiegel's "Der Untergang" depicts the different shades of the Nazi at the time of Germany's defeat to the Allied Forces. This is one of the few movies set in World War II that is told from a german's point of view.

It is a beautifully written and a cleverly realized film by Oliver. Not only it portrays Hitler's usual ruthless psychology but also displays his other side which only few are aware of. The constant setting in the bunkers of Berlin a sense of dread constantly encircles the length of the film.

Some of the scenes portrayed are haunting and extremely disturbing but shown in the most subtlest of ways. One particular sequence which will affect hopefully the viewers is the scenes involving a mother poisoning her own children at the time of suicide.

The true horrors of war are not in the bloodiest trenches but in the sweet murders of the intimate elements.Very few films of war are able to truly reflect the horrors of the war without showing much of the actual destruction - "Downfall" is both haunting , thoughtful and a disturbing film which reaches the viewers and makes them realize that a war affects all sides and without knowing the full impact of war we can never judge a particular side.

It is a critical thing to know that the impacts of war is not totally in the destruction and killing of millions but the impact on the minds of the billions that follow.