Review of Valkyrie (2008) by Bradley H — 17 Aug 2011

Slick, stylish and certainly dealing with an intriguing historical event, this film, unfortunately, fails to capitalize on its strengths by not telling a compelling story. The main character as portrayed by Cruise is fairly one-dimensional, with only a journal entry in the opening moments serving as exposition and explanation for his actions.

The conspiracy as a whole remains remarkably opaque to the audience throughout and the various members of it even more so. (Why is Kenneth Branagh even in this film?) Certainly, it is a given that the audience will know and despise Hitler, but that does not mean you can ignore developing the characters that make up his opposition.

Perhaps the most egregious missed opportunity in the film is that it fails to delve into the rich moral fabric that is inherently woven throughout this kind of event.