Colonel
Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) was chief of staff of the reserve
army, a decorated veteran who had lost a hand and an eye in battle.
Oh
yeah - and he was the dude who ended up planting a briefcase full of
explosives under a table during a conference with Hitler...
Everyone
knows Hitler died in a bunker in 1945, so there is not much room for a
twist ending here. Yet somehow Singer constantly finds ways to crank up
the tension.
Whether it be postponed bomb plots, numerous
variables refusing to go the plotters way (if Hitler had held the
conference in his bunker as planned, the explosives would have killed
him; instead, thanks to warm weather, they met in a hut) and the
constant trembling of a plan that seems just plausible enough to work
coming up against obstacles that just might be enough to stop it.
Cruise is blandly heroic as von Stauffenberg, but on this occasion that is good enough.
This is a film of action, not character.
Unfortunately, the all star (mostly British) supporting cast are a little too unsteady to sustain the tension required.
Bill
Nighy and Tom Wilkinson especially seem more like cartoon nazis than
the actual thing, while David Bamber as Hitler seems more like the real
deal.
Ultimately, it's the numerous gripping sequences that stick with you after the credits :
The
confusion when a vital briefcase goes missing after a failed
assassination attempt, von Stauffenberg fumbling one-handed to arm the
bomb, and the watchful eyes of the conspirators' underlings when the
plot to seize power lurches into effect.
Gripping stuff.
DVD EXTRAS with Sean Lynch
If it's Special Features you are after, your best best would be
investing in the Blu Ray edition - as that is where this film really
thrives.
However, for DVD buffs - there is an edition floating
around which includes Commentaries by Tom Cruise, Bryan Singer and
Christopher McQuarrie, as well as a seond one with Christopher
McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander.
There are a couple of fairly
enticing featurettes which help fill in the historical backstory - and
are actually excellent supplements to the film itself.
Conclusion:
Movie 80% Extras: 70%
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