Valkyrie: Movie Review

"Valkyrie" is a movie that we have anticipated for ages. It has been shown stateside quite a few months back and sad to say, it had a lackluster performance there. Not even Tom Cruise can save a movie that was pegged at the worst time it could have been released! Beyond that negative note though, we really expect something great from this film. We sort of like historical and biographical films and what better topic than the taboo plot of Germans hating Hitler. Hopefully, the lackluster performance of the film in the States is really more on the timing of the film and not on its quality. Let us stop the blabbering then and move on to the review.




The film "Valkyrie" is centered on Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Tome Cruise). Early on, von Stauffenberg already shows resentment towards Nazi-ruled Germany and the ongoing global world war. He hates how soldiers are being killed and how Germany is being desecrated and being destroyed by the war. He is then moved to the Afrika Corps where he loses his left eye and some of his fingers on his right hand after an air attack by the Allies. Von Stauffenberg is then decommissioned to Berlin and was successfully recruited there by the German Resistance. After a failed attempt to blow up Hitler, von Stauffenberg was asked to lead Operation Valkyrie in which they will use the German military reserve to overthrow SS and Nazi power once Hitler is assassinated.

As for the film it was pretty good. We mean the effects were really good. You could feel the blasts and all. The acting was pretty superb as well. Typical Tom Cruise means you get a quality show most of the time. And everything else was beyond average but this is not the film we expected. The most complaint we can think of is the under developed plot. The film feels really rushed. There is no focus given on any topic; from von Stauffenberg's first inclinations against Hitler or even his relationship with his family. We would have liked if more emphasis was given to the other subplots all over the film. Finally, what really put this film down was the impending sense that there is just something "off" and missing. We really cannot pinpoint what it was but trust us, it just feels like that instead of being a great film, this was just an average outing. People will enjoy this film that we are pretty sure but do not expect a grand masterpiece and you will be fine.

Rating: 3 reels




Why you should watch it:
- typical Tom Cruise acting which means it is good
- pretty nice effects especially the kabooms!

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the whole film feels underdeveloped
- there is just something "off" with this film