'Mission Impossible' star Tom Cruise is finally on a mission that’s truly impossible! Cruise plays one of the Nazi officers who want to see Hitler assassinated in this real event historical thriller. In 1943 Nazi officer Claus Stauffenberg (Cruise) after losing an eye and an arm in an allied air raid in Africa is transferred back to Germany with a promotion as Lieutenant Colonel.There he meets disgruntled Nazi officers including Major General Henning Tresckow (Kenneth), General Friedrich Olbricht (Nighy), General Friedrich Fromm (Wilkinson) and Colonel General Ludwig Beck (Terence Stamp) with whom he hatches a plan to take over Berlin and ‘free’ the Germans from Hitler.
Stauffenberg (Cruise) himself takes the lead and is hell bent on implementing ‘Operation Valkyrie’ – an official order that would permit the reserved National Guard to seize Berlin in case they kill the Fuhrer. Stauffenberg and the plotters plan to use ‘Valkyrie’ as a plank not only to kill Hitler but to put a blame on his own SS guards.
For a story that has been already told and the climax known by the world, the film could have been a total disaster had it not been for the dependable script and brilliant cinematography. They build up enough tension to keep the heart racing. Director Singer fine-tunes the real life events with life-like drama. The film is skillfully assembled with terrific setup. The editing room also adds more life and tensions.
However, the one question most would put forward is: Why Cruise’s talks such smooth American English? Perhaps, a more German accent would have been more believable in his portrayal of Stauffenberg. But then, the ‘goody guy’ image with his firm jaws makes him no less a perfect Nazi officer. His performance is unmatched in any of his earlier films.
An exciting historical film that inspires hope and courage in time of crisis will put you glued to the big screen.
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English (U/A)
Cast: Tom Cruise, Keneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Carie von Hauten, David Bamber
Director: Bryan Singer
