Rating of
3/4
A Killer Thriller... Even If You Know the Ending
Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/04/09
In the end, I think this movie works a lot better than a lot of people would like to admit. Tom Cruise is actually well-cast. The accents (or lack thereof) didn't bother me one bit. There are some tense moments, the supporting cast is fantastic and, while probably skimping some on accuracy, the story is interesting.
The best thing that Valkyrie manages is to keep things interesting. Everyone knows how this story is going to end, but even though we know what happens, the how of things keeps you locked into the film. While Tom Cruise would not be my first choice to play a German would-be hero, he pulls it off surprisingly well. He's helped by a strong supporting cast - a lot of British heavyweights, Bill Nighy, Kennth Branagh, Terence Stamp and Eddie Izzard all lend a hand in making this a well-acted effort.
The story, based on history, throws in enough action to keep things from being too bogged down in strategy and plotting. History buffs will probably tear this apart, but since I don't worry about the minutia of WWII, it didn't bother me that they fudged a few things here and there.
The film isn't perfect, I wish some of the smaller parts had been expanded and the German sympathizers where probably painted, well, too sympathetic, but overall I was fairly impressed. Despite all the efforts he's made to destroy himself, Tom Cruise proves once again he can act.
Recent Comments
Nick - wrote on 01/05/09 at 12:28 PM CT
Valkyrie Review comment
should I kick your ass now or later?
