Valkyrie

( 29 )

Overview

At the absolute height of World War II, German generals hatch a daring plan to assassinate Adolf Hitler and effectively render the German war machine impotent. Directed by Bryan Singer, Valkyrie stars Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, the real-life mastermind behind the elaborate plot known as Project Valkyrie: a plan to assassinate Hitler and overthrow his government from the inside. Stauffenberg has been a loyal soldier and an asset to the Reich for his entire military career, but after losing an ...
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Overview

At the absolute height of World War II, German generals hatch a daring plan to assassinate Adolf Hitler and effectively render the German war machine impotent. Directed by Bryan Singer, Valkyrie stars Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, the real-life mastermind behind the elaborate plot known as Project Valkyrie: a plan to assassinate Hitler and overthrow his government from the inside. Stauffenberg has been a loyal soldier and an asset to the Reich for his entire military career, but after losing an eye, a hand, and three fingers in an Allied bombing, he reaches a breaking point. The destructive madness that his country is unleashing on the world has become too terrible for the colonel to stand silent. He joins the resistance movement -- a treasonous act, punishable by death -- and risks his life and the life of his family for the chance to change history. Comprised of high-ranking officials working in secret, the German Resistance has access to the inner workings of the government and military, putting them in the perfect position to dispatch the dictator and then use his own official contingency plan to seize power -- before the army, the S.S., and loyal party members can put someone just as diabolical in the Führer's place.
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Special Features

Audio commentary by Tom Cruise, director/producer Bryan Singer and co-writer/producer Christopher McQuarrie; Audio commentary by co-writer/producer Christopher McQuarrie and co-writer Nathan Alexander ; Reel pieces with Tom Cruise and Bryan Singer recorded live at New York's 92nd street Y; The Valkyrie legacy documentary ; The Journey to Valkyrie featurette ; The Road to Resistance featurette ; The African front sequence featurette ; Taking to the Air featurette ; Recreating Berli featurette
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide
If you were secretly or not so secretly hoping that the WWII thriller Valkyrie would be a train wreck -- with Tom Cruise manically steering the locomotive toward its fiery demise by playing Nazi saboteur Claus von Stauffenberg like he's starring in "Top Gun Part II: Maverick Mutiny" -- you might be disappointed. History buffs and World War II fans probably never put Cruise on the shortlist of actors to play the loyal German soldier-turned-righteous traitor, who became a key player in the most nearly successful attempt to assassinate Hitler and overthrow his government. But the notorious action star keeps his bombastic persona remarkably reeled in, and the resulting film is earnest, somber, and extremely modest -- almost to a fault. Indeed, that modesty can let things occasionally get just a little bit dry, but for the most part, director Bryan Singer seems to appreciate the magnitude of the very true story that the film is based on. It opens on Stauffenberg, a colonel in the German army, surviving an Allied bombing in Tunisia, where he loses his left eye, as well as his right hand and three fingers from his left. This is the last straw for Stauffenberg, who's doubted the twisted ideals of the Reich for some time. He discreetly joins up with the German Resistance -- a cabal of high-ranking military and government bigwigs who meet in dark, smoky rooms full of expensive-looking furniture -- and enters the whispered debate over what, if anything, can be done to save their nation. The problem is that even if Hitler were dead, there would be a cabinet full of crazies standing in line to take his place, and even if the cabinet were eliminated, there would still be legions of loyal Nazi soldiers goose-stepping all over Berlin. This impasse leaves the gray old men of the Resistance in a perpetual state of ineffective squabbling, but of course, Stauffenberg is a man of action -- hence, the casting of Tom Cruise. And it really works: for all the character's noble, self-sacrificing heroism, Cruise never gets hammy or indulgent; there are no ridiculously badass one-liners those in the original trailer were cut, no Oscar-bait hysterics or vain looking-into-the-distance-with-a-single-tear-in-his-eye. You don't even get that vague, distracting sense of megalomania emanating from his usually self-satisfied grin. The only incongruous element to Cruise's presence is the fact that literally every other member of the cast speaks in either a British or obliquely European accent -- the general rule for American movies that take place where English isn't the native language. But Cruise talks in that same Midwestern American Newscaster With a Slight Head Cold dialect he always does. And it's incredibly perplexing, at least in the first few scenes, before he becomes the center of the dialogue, at which point your brain gives up the fight and just accepts it. Other members of the cast, like Tom Wilkinson, Eddie Izzard, and Bill Nighy, turn in solid, stately performances as well, and many of the supporting actors stand out despite being crammed in with about a million other ensemble players, each one aging and understated, and each one donning a neatly pressed suit or uniform. But of course, that's all mostly there to illustrate how the comparatively young, virile colonel is set apart by his willingness to act. He masterminds a plan for the Resistance to seize power from the inside, through the use of Hitler's own contingency plan in the event of catastrophe -- a policy known as Valkyrie. The plan states that if a disaster such as the Führer's death disrupts the chain of command, the Reserve wing of the army is to take control of the situation. So, if Stauffenberg's crew can assassinate Hitler, and then convince the military that the Secret Police perpetrated the attack in a coup against the government, Operation Valkyrie will go into effect, and the Reserves will deploy to contain the threat -- in this case, the apparently treasonous Secret Police and most of the party's top brass. Meanwhile, with the country's own armies unknowingly providing all the brute force, the Resistance can set up a new, non-Nazi government and draw up a truce with the Allies. The 20-odd main characters involved in planning, preventing, or otherwise turning a blind eye to this conspiracy can get to be a bit much, and there are occasional moments of "What are they talking about? Who is that? Which side is he on?" But for the most part, the events stay coherent, and increasingly intense. In the end, it's probably better that Singer conceded a few imperfections in the narrative in the name of keeping things accurate -- this is, after all, a story that might seem impossible if it weren't true. He also does a great job of ratcheting up the suspense, as every step in Operation Valkyrie brings new questions of which comrades can be trusted, whether the plan has been discovered, and how to arm archaic, old-fashioned bombs that look like steam-powered pencil sharpeners. In fact, things in the film stay so tightly wound, you might just forget about the fact that this is history, and we already know how the story ends.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 5/10/2011
  • UPC: 883904241089
  • Original Release: 2008

    • Rating:

  • Source: United Artists
  • Region Code: A
  • Presentation: Pan & Scan
  • Language: English
  • Time: 2:00:00
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • Sales rank: 32,370

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Tom Cruise Col. Claus von Stauffenberg
Kenneth Branagh Major-Gen. Henning von Tresckow
Bill Nighy Gen. Friedrich Olbricht
Tom Wilkinson Gen. Friedrich Fromm
Carice van Houten Nina Von Stauffenberg
Thomas Kretschmann Maj. Otto Ernst Remer
Terence Stamp Gen. Ludwig Beck
Eddie Izzard Gen. Erich Fellgiebel
Kevin McNally Dr. Carl Goerdeler
Christian Berkel Col. Mertz von Quirnheim
Jamie Parker Lt. Werner von Haeften
David Bamber Adolf Hitler
Tom Hollander Col. Heinz Brandt
David Schofield Erwin von Witzleben
Kenneth Cranham Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel
Halina Reijn Margarethe von Oven
Werner Daehn Maj. Ernst John von Freyend
Harvey Friedman Dr. Joseph Goebbels
Matthias Schweighöfer Lt. Herber
Waldemar Kobus Police Chief Wolf-Heinrich von Helldorf
Florian Panzner Second Lt. Hagen
Ian McNeice Pompous General
Danny Webb Captain Haans
Chris Larkin Sgt. Helm
Matthew Burton Lt. General Adolf Heusinger
Philipp von Schulthess Tresckow's Aide
Wotan Wilke Möhring Sgt. Kolbe
Christian Oliver Sgt. Major Adam
Bernard Hill Confident General - Desert
Julian Morris Young Lieutenant - Desert
Helmut Stauss Dr. Roland Freisler
Tim Williams Doctor
Anton Algrang Albert Speer
Matthias Freihof Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler
Gerard Haase-Hindenberg Reich Marshal Hermann Göring
Technical Credits
Bryan Singer Director, Producer
Gilbert Adler Producer
Nathan Alexander Co-producer, Screenwriter
Chris Lee Executive Producer
Christoph Fisser Co-producer
Joanna Johnston Costumes/Costume Designer
Ken Kamins Executive Producer
Lilly Kilvert Production Designer
Patrick Lumb Production Designer
Christopher McQuarrie Producer, Screenwriter
Henning Molfenter Co-producer
Roger Mussenden Casting
Cornelia Ott Art Director
John Ottman Score Composer, Editor
Dwight C. Schar Executive Producer
Mark Shapiro Executive Producer
Newton Thomas Sigel Cinematographer
Daniel M. Snyder Executive Producer
Carl L. Woebcken Co-producer
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 29 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(14)

4 Star

(12)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

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1 Star

(3)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 29 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    An Unexpected Triumph

    VALKYRIE deserves wider attention than it received during its theatrical release, a theater run mired by the media emphasis on the tacky behind the scenes stories of the making of the film and the character destruction of Tom Cruise. This is a fascinating bit of World War II German history that is not as well known as the other aspects of the Third Reich and it bears telling. Writers Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander have used the facts of the 15th unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Hitler as spearheaded by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) and molded a thriller and a classy drama populated by some of our finest actors. Director Bryan Singer manages to recreate Germany of 1944 and make it all look real - too real for comfort - and paces this complex mission with steady and harrowing momentum.

    The film belongs to Cruise who is rarely off screen. His acting is solid and credible. The other actors whose presence gives the film a sense of realism are Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Kenneth Branagh, Terrance Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Eddie Izzard, Christian Berkel, Tom Hollander, Jamie Parker, Carice van Houten, and David Bamber (excellent in the role of Adolf Hitler). What makes this cast stand above the average ensemble crew is the sense of selflessness each actor brings to his/her role. Even though many of these fine actors are only on the screen for moments, their contribution is so well crafted (and directed) that the audience feels as though each is fully understood as members of this infamous historic event.

    This film appears to be an honest, non-sensationalized view of history about which too few people are informed. As a quasi-documentary it holds up well: as a thrilling drama it deserves kudos. Grady Harp

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Heartbroken & Homicidal
    Insane Clown Posse: Big Money Hustla$ - The Movie
    Insane Clown Posse: A Family Underground
    Big Money Rustlas
    W.I.C.K.E.D.

    amazing movie

    amazing movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Gran Torino

    The attempted death of Hitler

    Valkerie is about a plan during WW2 to assainate Hitler. A group of command officers, Lieutenants, and other such people in command of German armies got together to blow up the dictator. Watch the movie for an account of true history.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    good movie

    shows that not all Germans were nazis

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  • Posted October 1, 2010

    Tom Cruise is the Best!

    I love history and this movie explains what happened so well. All the various components and people who risked everything because They truly loved their country and wanted to do what was right and moral. Germany has such beauty and wealth. I am so glad this story could be told with such great actors. Tom Cruise deserves an Oscar!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Save your money

    Tom Cruise was not believable as a German officer. Could you maybe cast someone who was not an American Fighter Pilot in Top Gun? Buy it on cable for 3.99 yes, buy it for more, no way.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    good 1

    great movie one of the best i seen.

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  • Posted October 1, 2010

    I liked it

    I liked this movie. I wasn't absolutely crazy about it, but I liked it.

    I knew I would with such talents as
    Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Terence Stamp, Tom Wilkinson, Eddie Izzard, Kevin McNally and Carice Van Houten involved.

    Screenwriters Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander weaved a complex tale, and
    director Bryan Singer very skillfully put it all together.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    GOOD WW2 MOVIE

    THIS WAS A GREAT MOVIE WITH A LOT OF UNEXPECTED PLOT TURNS. ALTHOUGH I KNEW HITLER KILLED HIMSELF WITH CYANIDE, I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I HEARD "the furher is alive". I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE FOR KIDS OVER 13, NOT FOR THE VIOLENCE BUT FOR THE COMPLEX PLOT.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 1, 2010

    loved it

    Im only 13 and this is one of my favorite movies.Great.

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  • Posted October 1, 2010

    A Military Historian's Dream Movie

    This movie was incredible from beginning to end, it was fantastically done. As accurate as any movie really could (or should) be, and yet so absolutely captivating all at the same time. I am definitely going to be showing this to my history classes when we studying WWII. I could not have asked for a more well done movie to share this episode of history with the world.
    The casting was excellent, Tom Cruise was excellent in his role, Eddie Izzard was so out of character yet perfectly in character.
    Even though the outcome was obvious (we all know Hitler wasn't assassinated) the movie still kept you on the edge of your seat, rooting for the plotters anyways.
    Watch it!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    Youthanasia [Bonus Tracks]
    Cryptic Writings [Bonus Tracks]
    The World Needs a Hero
    Risk [Bonus Tracks]
    The System Has Failed

    one very sad movie

    i loved this movie from beging to end i give the people who made this movie possible a salute and a very big thank you

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    Countdown to Extinction [Bonus Tracks]
    Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good! [Remixed]
    Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? [Bonus Tracks]
    Rust in Peace [Bonus Tracks]
    So Far, So Good...So What! [Bonus Tracks]

    one very awesome heart pounding movie it took my breathe away while watching it

    one very awesome movie this movie got a very good rating note the movie you are about to buy is a very diifernt kind of film tom cruise has made and its not like tom craises past films hes made this film is just differnt completely differnt this is one very awesome film i salute the guy who made this movie possible

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 9, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 1, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 9, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted July 11, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 30, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted July 8, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 17, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 29 Customer Reviews