A gripping dramatisation of one of World War II‘s most daring resistance plots is now available to stream on Amazon Prime. The historical thriller, Valkyrie, brings to life the events of July 20, 1944, when a group of high-ranking German officers attempted to overthrow and assassinate Adolf Hitler in a high-stakes political coup. Directed by Bryan Singer and penned by Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander, the film was released in 2008 and features a stellar cast, including Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, and Carice van Houten.
Cruise takes on the role of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a loyal German officer who becomes convinced that Hitler’s unchecked power will spell disaster for Germany and the rest of Europe. Faced with the weight of his country’s future, von Stauffenberg joins forces with fellow conspirators, ultimately becoming the pivotal figure in a bold assassination attempt against the Nazi dictator.
Torn between loyalty to his country and moral duty, von Stauffenberg takes a daring risk by joining forces with like-minded officers to plan an assassination and political coup from within the heart of the Nazi regime.
Valkyrie carefully creates and shows the tension and danger of the plot. Every scene is steeped in suspense, from secret meetings to the meticulously timed attempt on Hitler’s life, showing how close the conspirators came and how devastating the consequences were when the plan failed.
Cruise’s performance is both physically and emotionally intense. Known for performing some of the most dangerous stunts in cinematic history, he found a surprisingly intense challenge in portraying von Stauffenberg.
He had to wear an eye patch over an injured eye, a small but physically demanding detail that added a layer of authenticity to his performance, but it also added an extra challenge, making it more difficult to act and show emotion as easily as he normally would have.
One viewer gave the film a perfect 10/10 score on IMDb and said it was a « story of true heroes willing to risk everything. » They added: « As I’m constructing this review, I’m actually finding tears welling up in my eyes. Everything came together in this movie: compelling acting, solid characters, great visuals, and nicely paced.
« But connecting all these components into a modern masterpiece is the true story of the men and women who were willing to stand up to evil in the face of the gravest of consequences. A must-see for anyone interested in history or human courage. »
Someone else wrote on Rotten Tomatoes: « Great movie. Brilliantly directed, written and produced. Superior cinematography and plot with huge twists and turns. Suspense, intrigue, drama and action weaved intricately together. Capable cast all of whom excel in their characters very convincingly. One of the all time greats in my book. »
Another viewer also said in a Google Review: One of my absolute favourite movies. It’s thrilling and keeps me on the edge of my seat every time. I wish this movie was more popular. It is up there with some of the best movies made. It’s very accurate to the true story and the acting from everyone was incredible. If you’re interested in watching I promise you, you will not be disappointed. »
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